Texas sues Meta and WhatsApp for allegedly misrepresenting message encryption
Texas is suing Meta and WhatsApp, saying they misled users about how secure their messages really are.
The lawsuit argues that WhatsApp promises full encryption but actually has access to nearly all private chats.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called out the company, saying, "WhatsApp markets its services as secure and encrypted, but it does not deliver on those promises."
Meta denies these claims, insisting they can't access people's encrypted messages.
Suit seeks ban on message access
Filed under Texas's Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the suit aims to stop Meta and WhatsApp from accessing Texans's messages without consent and seeks monetary penalties.
This move follows news reports and a whistleblower complaint about possible message access during a federal investigation.
Paxton has been active in privacy cases (last year he was involved in a Google settlement for similar issues), showing he's serious about protecting Texans's data.