Zoho CEO Questions WhatsApp’s Security Claims Amid Lawsuit
Sridhar Vembu, the CEO of Zoho, has raised concerns about WhatsApp’s privacy assurances in light of recent allegations against Meta, its parent company. Vembu highlighted a significant conflict of interest resulting from Meta’s business model, which is largely driven by advertising.
This discussion comes after a lawsuit was filed in a San Francisco court, claiming that Meta has misled millions of WhatsApp users regarding their privacy. Individuals from countries like Australia, India, Mexico, and South Africa are part of this legal action, arguing that the company’s end-to-end encryption is merely a facade.
Vembu expressed on social media that when a company’s revenue relies on user data for ads, prioritizing privacy becomes challenging. He noted that the pressure for higher profits can lead such companies to neglect user security.
Meta Responds to Allegations
In response, Meta has strongly denied the claims. Andy Stone, the company’s communications director, labeled the lawsuit as “categorically false and absurd.” He emphasized that WhatsApp has employed Signal protocol encryption for years and hinted at the possibility of seeking legal penalties against the plaintiffs’ legal team.
The lawsuit mentions that unnamed informants alleged Meta employees could access user messages through an internal system with minimal oversight.
Reactions from Tech Leaders
The situation has sparked reactions from other tech figures. Elon Musk warned users about WhatsApp, calling it insecure and expressing doubts about Signal as well. Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, bluntly stated, “You’d have to be braindead to believe WhatsApp is secure in 2026,” criticizing WhatsApp’s encryption for having vulnerabilities.
The lengthy lawsuit claims that Meta staff can access messages in real time, without needing to decrypt them separately. This access allegedly allows them to view messages alongside content from unencrypted sources as soon as users activate their accounts.
Vembu’s criticism stands out for addressing the broader issue, arguing that a profit-driven model focused on user tracking inherently prioritizes data collection over privacy. Unlike Meta, his company, Zoho, operates on a subscription basis, avoiding reliance on ad revenue.
The lawsuit seeks to be recognized as a class action and demands financial compensation. Meanwhile, Meta continues to dismiss the legal action as “frivolous.”
