Latest news with #iMessage
See - Sada Elbalad
3 days ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
US House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices
Israa Farhan The US House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices in a move aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and protecting sensitive data. The decision was communicated through an internal memo from the House Cybersecurity Office and applies to all lawmakers, staff, and House employees. According to the memo, the Meta-owned messaging app poses a significant security threat, as officials describe it, due to a lack of transparency in how user data is managed, insufficient encryption for stored data, and associated technical vulnerabilities. As an alternative, the House recommended using more secure communication platforms, including Microsoft Teams, Amazon-owned Wickr, Apple's iMessage and FaceTime, and the encrypted messaging app Signal. In a statement responding to the ban, a Meta spokesperson expressed disagreement, arguing that WhatsApp offers industry-leading security features that exceed those of several recommended alternatives. The company emphasized that privacy and security remain top priorities. The ban follows recent cybersecurity alerts, including a January report in which WhatsApp confirmed that dozens of journalists and activists had been targeted by advanced spyware. These revelations heightened concerns over the platform's vulnerability to surveillance and data breaches. This is not the first time the US House has acted against popular apps over security concerns. In 2022, the House banned TikTok from official devices amid similar fears about data privacy and foreign surveillance. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
WhatsApp messaging app banned on all US House of Representatives devices
The WhatsApp messaging service has been banned on all US House of Representatives devices, according to a memo sent to House staff on Monday. The notice to all House staff said that the 'Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high-risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use.' The memo, from the chief administrative officer, recommended use of other messaging apps, including Microsoft Corp's Teams platform, Wickr, Signal, Apple's iMessage, and Facetime. A spokesperson for Meta, which owns WhatsApp, said: 'We disagree with the House Chief Administrative Officer's characterization in the strongest possible terms. We know members and their staffs regularly use WhatsApp and we look forward to ensuring members of the House can join their Senate counterparts in doing so officially. 'Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning only the recipients and not even WhatsApp can see them. This is a higher level of security than most of the apps on the CAO's approved list that do not offer that protection.' The Signal app – which like WhatsApp uses end-to-end encrypted messaging – was at the center of a recent controversy in which Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, sent detailed information about planned attacks on Yemen to at least two private Signal group chats. One of the chats was created by Mike Waltz, the national security adviser, and included top US security officials as well as, inadvertently, the Atlantic magazine journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. The other Hegseth created himself, including his wife, his brother and about a dozen other people. The Pentagon had previously warned its employees against using Signal due to a technical vulnerability, according NPR, which reported that an 'OPSEC special bulletin' seen by its reporters and sent on 18 March said that Russian hacking groups could exploit the vulnerability in Signal to spy on encrypted organizations, potentially targeting 'persons of interest'. The Pentagon-wide memo said 'third party messaging apps' like Signal are permitted to be used to share unclassified information, but they are not allowed to be used to send 'non-public' unclassified information. Reuters contributed to this report The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
KakaoTalk is finally testing typing indicators. For many Koreans, it just feels wrong
For 15 years, South Korea's iconic messaging app KakaoTalk thrived without a feature so basic that most of us never noticed it was missing until now. Since its launch in 2010, KakaoTalk has uniquely dominated South Korean communication, standing apart from global giants like Apple and Meta. Rather than WhatsApp and iMessage, Koreans have always relied heavily on homegrown platforms, particularly KakaoTalk. Yet, strangely enough, KakaoTalk never had a simple feature that was included in almost every other chat app or service worldwide: the typing indicator. Then, in May, KakaoTalk introduced the feature on a trial basis. It triggered a wave of strong reactions, most of them negative. The company said the goal was to 'support uninterrupted communication and offer an experience closer to offline conversation.' Many users labeled the update intrusive, anxiety-inducing, and unnecessarily transparent, while a minority welcomed it as a long overdue catch-up. International observers, familiar with typing indicator features on apps like WhatsApp or iMessage, quickly attributed this controversy to Korea's cultural preference for subtlety and indirect communication. The reasoning goes something like this: As a "high-context society," Koreans naturally resist real-time transparency that might undermine the nuanced, indirect nature of their interactions. However, the full story might be surprisingly more mundane. Rather than an intentional cultural decision, the initial absence of KakaoTalk's typing indicator likely resulted from practical, technical constraints. At its founding in 2010, KakaoTalk operated on an extremely lean budget with no clear business model; founder Kim Beom-soo reportedly paid server costs from his own pocket, which reached as high as 1 billion won (around $900,000 at the time) per month. This means that a typing indicator could have added a strain to Kakao's already overstretched resources. 'To be clear, this is just my speculation,' one former software engineer with experience in building smaller messaging services, who spoke anonymously, told The Korea Herald. "But typing indicators aren't as simple to implement as they seem. They require continuous, real-time communication between devices. During Kakao's early years, even ensuring stable and reliable message delivery was challenging enough, making typing indicators understandably a low priority." As KakaoTalk exploded in popularity and profitability over subsequent years, adding such a feature became more feasible. But by then, the company's attention had shifted to more commercially promising areas: emoticons, e-commerce integration, content offerings, and monetization strategies. 'During their explosive growth, it's pretty obvious that introducing a typing indicator wasn't exactly urgent or particularly lucrative, and so it might have remained shelved indefinitely,' the backend engineer said. At the same time, the absence of a typing indicator gradually shaped the nature of communication on KakaoTalk. Koreans increasingly viewed its absence not as a limitation, but as a valuable asset. Without the pressure of real-time typing notifications, users felt free to hesitate, reconsider, or rewrite messages without fear of judgment. Over time, this unintentional quiet space evolved into a cherished aspect of the app: aligning with local conversational norms. Thus, KakaoTalk's recent introduction of the typing indicator, even as an optional trial feature, disrupted more than just app functionality. It breached an implicit, quietly nurtured social agreement. "I use Slack and other apps with typing indicators all the time, and never even consciously thought about it," said Seo Ji-hyun, a 29-year-old human resources manager. "But on KakaoTalk, it somehow feels wrong. This app was one of the only places left where I could genuinely pause to think before replying." Some fear deeper ramifications, particularly in workplaces. KakaoTalk isn't merely a social platform; it serves as Korea's primary professional communication tool for companies, schools, and government offices alike. The lack of clear boundaries between personal and professional use exacerbates anxieties. "Supervisors might notice me typing something but not sending it, leading to unnecessary tension," worried one public school teacher in Seoul. "I don't want to have to explain why I rewrote a message." Despite widespread criticism, a smaller group of users welcomes the update. "I like seeing when someone is typing because at least I know they're not intentionally ignoring me," said Kim Do-yeon, a 22-year-old university student. "It's reassuring." Ultimately, whether KakaoTalk permanently adopts the typing indicator will likely depend on internal usage data available exclusively to the company. For now, the typing indicator is optional and must be manually activated in the app's Lab settings.
Phone Arena
3 days ago
- Phone Arena
PhoneArena Poll Wars: Choose your favorite software
Debating about the best things in the smartphone world is part of PhoneArena's daily life. We know that's a big part of your life, too. So, we give you another chance to solve some of the debates by simply voting in our Poll Wards. You have a week to choose your favorite software features and apps. Please, keep it civil in the comments, and share all your opinions and preferences. Apple users are always bragging about how well their phones work, but you might prefer a more customizable option. On the other hand, how different can the different versions of Android really be? AI is all the rage right now, and all new phones have some version of it. However, there are enough apps that aren't integrated into the OS but still do a great job competing with whatever the phone manufacturers offer their users. Some would even say they're better, but that's for you to choose with your vote. Apple users in Europe are now able to choose alternative app stores, which doesn't mean they would want to. The same goes for Android users, who have always had many options for where to source their apps but might feel the PlayStore is more than enough. Many US users consider iMessage the only reason to stay with their iPhone, while overseas, people chat on many other apps. However, we'd like to know which app is the most important and hopefully delete all the rest. Music streaming is a sensitive topic for a lot of people. Some have strong opinions about specific features of the recommendation algorithm of their favorite service, while others despise the mixing of music with things like podcasts and videos. That's why choosing a music streaming service is often seen not as a way to play songs but as a representation of a personal philosophy. You must select very carefully. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US bans WhatsApp from House of Representatives staff devices
The U.S. government has banned WhatsApp from devices used by U.S. House of Representatives staff, saying the app poses potential security risks, Reuters reported, citing a memo sent to House staff. 'The Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use,' Reuters reported the memo as saying. The memo instead recommends staff use apps like Signal, iMessage, FaceTime, and Microsoft Teams, the report said. Meta in January said it had detected and disrupted a hacking campaign targeting about 90 WhatsApp users, including journalists. The hack was linked to Paragon Solutions, an Israeli spyware maker that was acquired in December of last year by American private equity giant AE Industrial Partners. And according to a research report in May, the governments of Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore are likely customers of Paragon. Meta did not immediately return a request for comment.
