WhatsApp denies quietly accessing user microphones after Elon ...

A bug in either Android or WhatsApp has caused an uproar online as the popular chat app appeared to be accessing smartphone microphones while not in use.

The issue drew widespread attention after Elon Musk replied to a post from Twitter engineer Foad Dabiri with the caption “WhatsApp cannot be trusted”.

Dabiri had shared a screenshot of the Privacy Dashboard on his Pixel 7 Pro, showing that WhatsApp had accessed his microphone numerous times within a two-hour period when he was not using the app.

“WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6:00 AM (and that’s just a part of the timeline!) What’s going on?” Dabiri said.

However, WhatsApp responded with a statement on Twitter saying the app was not actually accessing users’ microphones.

“We believe this is a bug on Android that misattributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate,” WhatsApp said.

WhatsApp also explained that users had full control over their microphone settings.

“Once granted permission, WhatsApp only accesses the mic when a user is making a call or recording a voice note or video — and even then, these communications are protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot hear them,” the chat platform said.

A Google spokesperson told Engadget the company was also aware of the “issue” and was working closely with WhatsApp to investigate.

While it would not confirm it was a bug, it’s worthwhile to note that WABetaInfo previously also reported about the issue.

WhatsApp parent company Meta Platforms has a controversial history when it comes to how it accesses, uses, and protects its users’ personal information.

One of the biggest incidents was the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where a British consulting firm had been able to collect personal data belonging to millions of Facebook users without their consent.

The data — sourced from the Facebook Open Graph platform — was subsequently used for targeted political advertising, including in the 2016 presidential campaigns of Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

WhatsApp also drew massive backlash after a change in its privacy policy in 2021.

Among the changes was a clause that would allow Meta Platforms to share data shared with WhatsApp Business accounts with Facebook, Instagram, Oculus, and other Meta products.

Some users falsely believed that this meant their private conservations would now be accessed by the company.

Despite WhatsApp reiterating that messages shared with private contacts would remain secure, the company was forced to delay the policy’s implementation by several months.

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WhatsApp denies quietly accessing user microphones after Elon Musk tweet