A man poses with a smartphone in front of displayed Whatsapp logo in this illustration dated September 14, 2017. Reuters / Dado Ruvic
San Francisco: The Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp said Wednesday it now has more than two billion users around the world, as it reaffirmed its stand on the need for strong encryption to protect privacy.
WhatsApp, acquired by Facebook in 2014, has grown into one of the most-used services in the Facebook "family" of apps, touted its "strong encryption" that enables users to connect privately even amid calls by law enforcement in the United States and elsewhere to provide more access.
"We know that the more we connect, the more we have to protect," a WhatsApp blog said.
"That is why every private message sent using WhatsApp is secured with end-to-end encryption by default. Strong encryption acts like an unbreakable digital lock that keeps the information you send over WhatsApp secure, helping protect you from hackers and criminals."
2 billion users are 500 million more than it just two years ago.
The messaging service announced the latest tally about six years after Facebook Inc. acquired the app for $19 billion.
WhatsApp is the largest messaging platform in the world, though it makes virtually no money and recently set aside plans to introduce ads.
WhatsApp defended its use of encryption just a few months after clashing with politicians in Washington over the technology. Facebook argues that encryption, which prevents anyone, including Facebook, from reading users’ messages, is good for user privacy, though it also makes it harder for law enforcement to track and monitor some criminal behavior.
"Strong encryption is a necessity in modern life,” according to a WhatsApp blog post. "We will not compromise on security because that would make people less safe.”
Facebook is working to encrypt all of its messaging apps, including Messenger and Instagram.
