Many websites and hyperlinks to unverified WhatsApp applications–marketed as “WhatsApp Plus” and promising its users additional features for free–are being shared widely on Twitter, WhatsApp, and other social media.
SMEX (smex.org), an organization whose mission is to spread digital awareness and understanding of digital rights, warns that these applications have access to all your data when downloaded. Moreover, these applications are not secure in the sense that unverified developers are most likely able to save all your data, including messages and voice notes, and may be selling your information to suspicious third parties.
Furthermore, once downloaded and used, these applications may be able to hack into your smartphone and spy on you and your activities (this is made possible by taking advantage of the permissions that it asks of the phone for it to function, like use of the camera and microphone).
SMEX urges citizens concerned about the privacy of their data and their WhatsApp conversations to use the official WhatsApp application only, made available through the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
(Photo from Pexels.com)