Recently, WhatsApp has been criticized for accessing Android device microphones even when the device is not in use. However, this was due to a bug with Android, which has been acknowledged by Google and will be patched in a future update. The company is also expanding the rollout of the Edit Message feature to limited beta users, which allows you to edit a message within 15 minutes of sending it. WhatsApp has also received a significant update for iOS devices with a redesigned link preview interface that loads better and provides a better preview.
Google confirms the bug in WhatsApp Mic, which displays incorrect privacy indicators.
Recently, a Twitter engineer raised concerns about WhatsApp accessing their microphone in the background, even when they were not using the app or making any calls. Many users thought WhatsApp secretly spied on its users, recording their conversations or listening to their surroundings without permission. WhatsApp acknowledged and investigated the bug, determining that it was caused by a bug in the Android operating system, as confirmed by Google.
This issue affected Android 12 or higher, and WhatsApp was not spying on its users. This bug in the Android system displayed incorrect privacy indicators, making the microphone icon appear in the notification bar even when WhatsApp was not using it. WhatsApp and Google are working on fixing this bug, and it is expected to be patched soon. The Android system has a Privacy Dashboard, which shows which apps use the device’s microphone and other sensors. In the meantime, users can check their device’s permissions to ensure that they have granted permission to the application.
This issue also caught the attention of Elon Musk, who asked users to switch to Signal, an alternative messaging app to WhatsApp that claims to be more secure and private. Although the company has a history of being transparent about privacy issues and has recently launched a campaign to raise awareness on Twitter,