What’s is encryption first of all?
Encryption is the process of encoding information in such a way that only authorized parties can read it. So if person A send a message to person B, it is only person A & B that are able to interpret the content of the message,any third party without authorization of either two can’t read its content.
Given that you’ve now gotten what encryption is, let’s get to the main point.
As the Apple Vs FBI court battle wages on over the Atlantic, it has stirred up the the encryption debate with many tech monoliths joining hands with Cupertino to take on the US government. WhatsApp’s parent company Facebook stance in the above court case makes the above headline as a no surprise.
Back home, the headline avoids such cases like the supposed amendment of the communications act that grants the executive powers to curtail any piece of information it deems not appropriate without the intervention of the parliament. An example is WhatsApp not being able to handover information to the Ugandan government even with issuance of a decree (the above amendment gives them power to do so), given the communication will only be between the sender and the receiver because of that added layer of encryption. Therefore it is only the sender and the receiver that are able to decrypt and interpret the voice communication.
WhatsApp founder Jan Koum believes end-to-end encryption is a given, not a bonus feature according to the Guardian. Voice calls are just an addition to texts that have long been encrypted since 2014 by WhatsApp. This will stop prying eyes from intercepting whatever voice conversations are going on within the walls of WhatsApp and acts as an assurance to WhatsApp users that no one will eavesdrop in whatever conversations are happening between them. The feature is set to make its way to group chats as well. It will forever remain what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Other tech companies like Snapchat, Facebook, Google and Twitter also showed interest in encrypting their products portfolio especially their messaging offerings.
