WhatsApp users warned of increased risk to bank accounts
Technology
Significant shake-up
(Web Desk) - Whatsapp users may be at a higher risk of scams and spam once a new law that allows third-party messaging comes into effect.
At the beginning of February, the Meta-owned messenger revealed that is will soon undergo a significant shake-up that will allow other messaging networks inside its app.
Thanks to new laws set out by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), WhatsApp users should expect to see a new inbox option landing in their app sometime in March.
Inside the DMA is a raft of new laws that tech companies will have to bow to in order to continue operating in the bloc.
One of these new laws mean tech apps, such as Meta-owned WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, are not allowed to be 'gatekeeper services'.
So-called 'gatekeeper services' are apps that can only be used with other people with the same app.
Therefore apps need to be interoperable with other messaging apps under the new rules.
This applies to all messenger apps, including iMessage, Telegram, Google Messages, and Signal.
But according to a new report from WABetaInfo, the beta version of WhatsApp that allows for third-party chats warns users that "Spam and scams may be more common on third-party chats."
Dick Brouwer, engineering director at WhatsApp, already warned of this outcome in an interview with Wired last month.
“There’s real tension between offering an easy way to offer this interoperability to third parties whilst at the same time preserving the WhatsApp privacy, security, and integrity bar,” he said at the time.
Speaking on the feature being optional, he added: "I can choose whether or not I want to participate in being open to exchanging messages with third parties.
"This is important, because it could be a big source of spam and scams."
Generally, third-party chats appear to be less secure than conversations held exclusively inside WhatsApp by all parties.
When trying out third-party messaging for the first time, a welcome screen will appear warning users that the feature allows you to message “someone outside of WhatsApp” and that “third-party apps may use different end-to-end encryption.”
The welcome message adds: “Third-party apps have their own policies.
"They may handle your data differently than WhatsApp does.”
WhatsApp prides itself on its end-to-end encryption - a security feature that scrambles messages to ensure no one can view the contents.
Fortunately, this is an opt-in feature - meaning you don't have to use it if you don't want to.
You will need to manually switch the third-party feature on in your settings, too, so it won't catch you by surprise.
The option simply exists for those who do want it, in an effort to adhere to new EU regulations.
How will it work?
In practice, a WhatsApp user will be able to send a text to a Facebook Messenger user - and vice versa - without having to use the other app.
It will be on an opt-in basis only, according to Brouwer, who wants users to be able to choose whether they participate in third-party messaging.
WhatsApp users who enable cross-platform messaging will see a separate "third-party chats" inbox at the top of their Chats menu where messages from other apps will appear.
The reason third-party messages will have their own inbox is because WhatsApp cannot assure the same level of security and privacy as native messages, says Brouwer.
