Israel Iran War: Iranian Govt Asks its Citizens to Delete WhatsApp, Instagram on Fears of Data Leak, Meta Responds

Iran's government has amplified fears of a new era of digital anxiety, heating the Israel-Iran war. On Tuesday, Iranian officials warned they should delete WhatsApp because user data is being shared with Israel. The announcement comes as cybersecurity concerns escalate with increases in regional violence.

Iranian officials, without presenting evidence, claimed WhatsApp, which Meta Platforms owns, gathers and releases user information to Israel. The move was reminiscent of Tehran's past censorship efforts during periods of political unrest or conflict, and was likely to heighten fears of digital repression in the country.

WhatsApp pushed back with a strong denial.

"We do not provide any bulk information to any government," the platform said, emphasizing its end-to-end encryption.

It also means that only the person who sent a message and the person who received it can read it, which provides full protection for the content, not just from third parties, but also from the platform itself.

Meta, which also owns Instagram and Facebook, defended WhatsApp's privacy practices. The company cautioned that false claims could result in unwarranted app bans. "These false reports could be used as a pretext to shut down all communication at a time when people need it the most," the statement added.

Digital Privacy & Metadata Risks Amid the Israel-Iran War

WhatsApp claims it doesn't view user content, but experts argue that the metadata, or the information in unencrypted form, is vulnerable to tampering. "Use-pattern, contact frequency, and connection time can all be analyzed," said Robert Falco of Cornell University.

"You can get a sense of how the app’s being used. That's been an issue," he said in an AP interview.

Iran has a long history of restricting websites. WhatsApp and Google Play were also restricted during the 2022 protests that erupted after Mahsa Amini was killed while in police custody. While bans have been lifted, concerns about digital surveillance remain.

Despite the restrictions, Iranians overwhelmingly rely on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, sometimes using the services with virtual private networks. But as the Israel-Iran war heats up, the digital crackdowns could well tighten.