Iranian state TV on Tuesday called on citizens to delete WhatsApp, accusing the messaging app of collecting user data for Israeli intelligence—a claim WhatsApp firmly denies.
The Meta-owned platform, which uses end-to-end encryption, pushed back, warning that “false reports” like these may be used as pretext to block access. “We do not track users’ locations, keep logs of messaging activity, or share data with governments,” WhatsApp said.
Cybersecurity expert Gregory Falco of Cornell University noted that while WhatsApp encrypts messages, metadata—such as usage patterns—can still be analyzed. He also pointed to data sovereignty concerns, saying countries like Iran increasingly seek to host and process data domestically to reduce reliance on foreign infrastructure.
Iran has a history of restricting foreign digital platforms. Although it banned WhatsApp during the 2022 protests, the app remained widely used through VPNs and proxies. The ban was lifted in late 2024, making WhatsApp one of the most popular messaging apps in Iran alongside Instagram and Telegram.
