Meta-owned messaging platform with three billion users, recently introducing a username feature for private communication without phone numbers.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
Instagram removes end-to-end encryption for private chats By Roy Ouma May 14, 2026 04:08 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter The logo of 'Instagram' is displayed on a mobile phone screen in front of a computer …
Instagram removes end-to-end encryption for private chatsCitizen Digital
… Many have moved from WhatsApp to the non-profit Signal in recent years because of privacy concerns after WhatsApp said it would share some metadata with parent company Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram. …
Germany launches spying probe into Signal attacks targeting MPsMeta's aggressive spending on artificial intelligence capabilities has created internal turmoil, with employees at Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp experiencing frequent layoffs since early 2025, including a 10 percent workforce cut this spring affecting 8,000 jobs, plus accusations of surveillance through an internal AI training initiative.
3 hours ago · Citizen Digital →
Meta's aggressive spending on artificial intelligence capabilities has created internal turmoil, with employees at Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp experiencing frequent layoffs since early 2025, including a 10 percent workforce cut this spring affecting 8,000 jobs, plus accusations of surveillance through an internal AI training initiative.
3 hours ago · Citizen Digital →
WhatsApp has introduced a new username feature that allows users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers, with reservation beginning this week and full rollout later this year. The feature is designed to improve privacy by letting users connect without disclosing their personal phone numbers to new contacts.
21 hours ago · Capital News →
WhatsApp said it will let hundreds of millions of users pick unique usernames to share instead of phone numbers, designed to protect privacy. The feature will be rolled out gradually over the coming months, with no directory or suggestions—people will need to know the exact username to contact someone.
30 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
WhatsApp has begun allowing its three billion users worldwide to reserve unique usernames, enabling people to chat without revealing their phone numbers. The Meta-owned platform described the move as a major privacy overhaul.
29 June 2026 · The Standard →
Meta has appointed Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah as the new head of WhatsApp as the tech giant seeks to monetise the messaging app. The announcement was accompanied by news that Meta would lead a $900 million funding round in Shah's consumer finance firm CRED.
23 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meta has appointed Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah to lead WhatsApp, as the US tech giant works to monetise the messaging app's large user base. Meta is also leading a $900 million funding round in Shah's consumer finance firm CRED.
23 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Exchange rate trends have become increasingly visible to ordinary Kenyans as effects become harder to ignore, driven by questions about economic growth and increased interest in economic indicators. Mobile technology and online trading platforms have enabled more Kenyans to participate actively in the forex market rather than simply observe it.
19 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that children under 16 will be banned from using social media platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X, citing concerns that such platforms expose youngsters to dangerous and addictive content. The ban is expected to pass by late December and come into force in spring 2025.
15 June 2026 · The Standard →
Social media platforms including Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp have changed how people connect, express themselves and build relationships across distances, contrasting with earlier reliance on face-to-face conversation, letters and phone calls that required more effort and deeper personal valuation.
13 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The European Commission ordered Meta on Tuesday to give rival AI chatbots access to its WhatsApp platform for free within five working days during an antitrust investigation into Meta's policy of blocking access for non-Meta AI providers, or face a heavy fine.
10 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meta has discontinued end-to-end encryption for Instagram private chats as of May 8, 2026. A Meta spokesperson told The Guardian that few users opted for the service since it was not automatic, and the company is removing this option from Instagram.
14 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
German prosecutors launched a spying investigation into phishing attacks targeting lawmakers on the Signal messaging app, with attacks allegedly directed at MPs from several parties, civil servants, diplomats and journalists. The attacks work by sending fake Signal support messages to trick victims into handing over account information, potentially allowing hackers to access chat groups, messages, photos and files.
25 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →