Facebook Reportedly Researching Ways to Use Encrypted WhatsApp Messages for Targeted Advertisements

[boak]

I actually work in the field of homomorphic encryption (HE) and saw this coming.

HE allows ciphertexts to be operated on like unencrypted data. For example, I can encrypt the value 3, send the encryption to FB and ask them to double my value on their server. FB can double it and return an encryption of 6, never seeing my value of 3.

It is possible to do neural network classifications without the server seeing your image, for example.

 

[macfacts]

Any guilty conscience from the folks that sold it to Facebook or are they too rich to care anymore?

What we have here is hearsay, not evidence of wrong doing

 

[Stromos]

****...ing charge a subscription!!! Not everything needs to be free. My GOD, why they assembly a team to snitch our private data instead of follow course with Netflix, Spotify...Can't believe they will be making more money from AD's than paying users. WhatsApp is a necessity right now, you can't opt out without losing the posibility to talk to customers or friends.

Signal.

 

[dba415]

If apple really wants to focus on privacy, add iMessage to android so WhatsApp usage goes down.

 

[cmaier]

If apple really wants to focus on privacy, add iMessage to android so WhatsApp usage goes down.

That’s silly

 

[BeefCake 15]

What we have here is hearsay, not evidence of wrong doing

Ok, we'll wait for Zuck to let us know the program was successful....

 

[rgeneral]

Thankful for signal. No need for what apps anymore.

 

[dampfnudel]

Just another example of what many of us already know, whatever FB gets their hands on eventually becomes something you don’t want to use if your privacy matters to you. I rarely use it, but I have relatives in Europe who use it so that’s a problem.

 

[User008]

Too few readers here will appreciate, much less understand this, but I’ve provided you with one well-deserved Like for your honest effort at spreading facts over emotion. Keep up the good work.

I actually work in the field of homomorphic encryption (HE) and saw this coming.

HE allows ciphertexts to be operated on like unencrypted data. For example, I can encrypt the value 3, send the encryption to FB and ask them to double my value on their server. FB can double it and return an encryption of 6, never seeing my value of 3.

It is possible to do neural network classifications without the server seeing your image, for example.

 

[boak]

Too few readers here will appreciate, much less understand this, but I’ve provided you with one well-deserved Like for your honest effort at spreading facts over emotion. Keep up the good work.

Thank you!

 

[MacBH928]

They paid like $19 billion dollars for this thing, do you think they will give it out for free because they love you? Will you buy something for $19 Billion and give it out for free?
Use Signal

One thing that surprising about Facebook behaviour is when Apple wanted to expand they created new stuff like music players, digital store, cellphone...etc . Facebook with all their money have no idea how to build anything except breach more of your privacy.

 

[MacBH928]

Any guilty conscience from the folks that sold it to Facebook or are they too rich to care anymore?

They kind of actually built Signal a non-profit and open source free to use messenger. I am privacy advocate but for $19B and given that people CHOOSE to use Whatsapp since there are a lot of free and more secure options out there. I am not responsible for their choices.

Example, Brave(open source-no Google tracking code) is near identical replica of Chrome and is free. People still use Chrome.

****...ing charge a subscription!!! Not everything needs to be free. My GOD, why they assembly a team to snitch our private data instead of follow course with Netflix, Spotify...Can't believe they will be making more money from AD's than paying users. WhatsApp is a necessity right now, you can't opt out without losing the posibility to talk to customers or friends.

If you think Netflix and Spotify are not invading your privacy you are in for a surprise. They take your money AND invade your privacy.

Spoiler: Spotify

Spoiler: Netflix

If you like this service please donate to tosDR

I actually work in the field of homomorphic encryption (HE) and saw this coming.

HE allows ciphertexts to be operated on like unencrypted data. For example, I can encrypt the value 3, send the encryption to FB and ask them to double my value on their server. FB can double it and return an encryption of 6, never seeing my value of 3.

It is possible to do neural network classifications without the server seeing your image, for example.

If you can interpret whats in the message its not encryption. Article says FB is trying to gain info from the encryption, if it can then its not a form of encryption in the first place.[/spoiler]

 

[boak]

If you can interpret whats in the message its not encryption. Article says FB is trying to gain info from the encryption, if it can then its not a form of encryption in the first place.[/spoiler]

It is still an encryption. That’s the specialty of HE. The encrypted raw data and encrypted result can only be decrypted by the user party.

 

[cmcbhi]

Why any intelligent being would use Facebook or WhatsApp is beyond me.
Oh...wait, intelligent beings don't ......

 

[SurferPup]

I say, go for it - I don’t use FaceBlock or Whatsapp and my mind in impervious to advertising.

 

[synonys]

Facebooks motto is “Let’s be Evil”

 

[amartinez1660]

Too few readers here will appreciate, much less understand this, but I’ve provided you with one well-deserved Like for your honest effort at spreading facts over emotion. Keep up the good work.

I get what you are saying and what he said, quite the benign examples (and interesting to be honest if it is all sealed) but I think this transcends that: if I’m talking with someone about Hondas or Toyotas and then get served some Toyota or Honda ad… or a more sensitive example, I’m talking privately with someone about Trump or Biden and then suddenly start getting served any of their campaigns (or actually both, one will want to keep me, the other will want to flip me) I do see an issue with this.

This has many layers to it, it isn’t only “someone” like the Zuck knowing what you text, if “something” like an AI can imply information and use it against you it is also bad. This serving of ads can also extrapolate a lot of information too: “we have served 100K Toyota/Honda/Trump/Biden ads around these geographical zones” and use group behavior to continue to broad target them.

If social media is an issue because our ancient biological brains and bodies have never been exposed to so much resources of all types and information so fast and ever changing… then these endeavors are just trying to continue exploiting that.

Like some commenters have said before, make it paid or give the option to… although honestly, even if paying, I wouldn’t trust FB to keep it private anymore.

 

[boak]

I get what you are saying and what he said, quite the benign examples (and interesting to be honest if it is all sealed) but I think this transcends that: if I’m talking with someone about Hondas or Toyotas and then get served some Toyota or Honda ad… or a more sensitive example, I’m talking privately with someone about Trump or Biden and then suddenly start getting served any of their campaigns (or actually both, one will want to keep me, the other will want to flip me) I do see an issue with this.

This has many layers to it, it isn’t only “someone” like the Zuck knowing what you text, if “something” like an AI can imply information and use it against you it is also bad. This serving of ads can also extrapolate a lot of information too: “we have served 100K Toyota/Honda/Trump/Biden ads around these geographical zones” and use group behavior to continue to broad target them.

If social media is an issue because our ancient biological brains and bodies have never been exposed to so much resources of all types and information so fast and ever changing… then these endeavors are just trying to continue exploiting that.

Like some commenters have said before, make it paid or give the option to… although honestly, even if paying, I wouldn’t trust FB to keep it private anymore.

It is similar to end-to-end encryption. The "choice" of ad presented to you by the algorithm would not be accessible by FB. The decryption key to the encrypted "choice" would be on your device.