Elon Musk has asked questions about the reliability of WhatsApp after a Twitter engineer alleged that the messaging app was using his microphone while he was sleeping. The engineer posted a screenshot of an Android dashboard to back up his accusation which is really scary. In response, Musk tweeted that he does not trust WhatsApp anymore. Meanwhile, the CEO of Twitter has said he will introduce features similar to WhatsApp, such as voice and video calls, to the Twitter platform.
According to a tweet by the Twitter engineer, Foad Dabiri, he shared a screenshot of an Android dashboard that appears to show that WhatsApp had been accessing his microphone in the background from 4:20 am to 6:53 am. Dabiri expressed his concern by asking, “What’s going on?” and stated that the app had been using his microphone while he was asleep and even after he woke up at 6:00 am, and this is a big concern for us.
WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6AM (and that's just a part of the timeline!) What's going on? pic.twitter.com/pNIfe4VlHV
— Foad Dabiri (@foaddabiri) May 6, 2023
WhatsApp has already responded to the allegations made by the Twitter engineer regarding the app’s use of his microphone in a tweet. Whatsapp clarified that the issue was due to a bug in Android, which was causing incorrect information to be displayed on the user’s privacy dashboard. WhatsApp stated that the affected phone was a Google Pixel, and they requested Google to investigate the matter and provide a solution instantly.
In another tweet, WhatsApp reiterated that its users have complete control over their microphone settings and that the microphone can only be accessed when a user is making a call or recording a voice or video note. The messaging app has also responded that there was no unauthorized access to the user’s microphone while they were not actively using the app.
In response to the issue raised by the Twitter engineer, WhatsApp has been in contact with the individual and issued a statement on Twitter, saying, “Over the last 24 hours, we’ve been in touch with a Twitter engineer who posted an issue with his Pixel phone and WhatsApp.” Whatsapp also stated that they believe the issue to be a bug on the Android platform, causing inaccurate information to be displayed on the privacy dashboard. WhatsApp has asked Google to investigate and resolve the issue.
Elon Musk has now confirmed on Twitter that he will add WhatsApp-like features to the Twitter platform. In his tweet, he announced that the latest version of the Twitter app will allow users to reply to any message in a Twitter thread via direct messages (DMs), as well as use any emoji reaction. He also stated that the release of encrypted DMs V1.0 is expected to happen soon and that this feature will rapidly evolve in the coming days.
Over the last 24 hours we’ve been in touch with a Twitter engineer who posted an issue with his Pixel phone and WhatsApp.
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) May 9, 2023
We believe this is a bug on Android that mis-attributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate. https://t.co/MnBi3qE6Gp
We’re excited to launch two new features in Direct Messages today!
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) May 10, 2023
📢 Introducing DM Replies! You can now reply to any message you receive in DMs, making conversations smoother and more intuitive.
🥳 We’ve also added a new Emoji Picker to DMs, allowing you to react to messages…
Musk also revealed that Twitter will soon be introducing voice and video chat, enabling users to communicate with anyone on the platform without giving out their phone numbers. He emphasized the privacy and security of the new feature by stating that even under extreme situations, he could not access a user’s DMs under any circumstances.
With latest version of app, you can DM reply to any message in the thread (not just most recent) and use any emoji reaction.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023
Release of encrypted DMs V1.0 should happen tomorrow. This will grow in sophistication rapidly. The acid test is that I could not see your DMs even if…
It is also important to note that Elon Musk is not the owner of Twitter. Twitter is a publicly-traded company with a Board of Directors and various stakeholders. While Musk is a well-known figure on Twitter and has made significant changes to the platform as a user, he does not have any ownership stake or control over the company.
That being said, Twitter has undergone a lot of changes in recent years, including the introduction of Twitter Blue, a subscription service that offers additional features such as the ability to undo tweets, custom app icons, and many more. Twitter has also made changes to its verification process for accounts, including the removal of the blue tick from accounts that do not meet the verification criteria or violate the platform’s rules. These changes are part of Twitter’s ongoing efforts to improve the user experience and promote a safe and healthy online environment with this App.