March 13, 2024, 11:25 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Once again, WhatsApp is adding a feature to its messenger. A small lock icon is causing confusion–or perhaps clarification? TECHBOOK knows what the new icon is all about.
WhatsApp is continuously expanding its range of features. Sometimes the new features are fun additions, other times they are truly helpful enhancements. Recent achievements include an improved search function and a chat lock for more privacy. Additionally, thanks to the European Digital Markets Act, WhatsApp will soon be compatible with other messaging services. Now, WhatsApp is testing a feature that might be relevant for future interoperability. The innovation is as inconspicuous as it gets: a small lock icon.
A Lock for More Security?
With the update to WhatsApp version 2.24.6.11 (Android), some beta testers discovered additional information. When you open a chat, a small lock icon appears under the name of the contact or group. However, you have to look closely, as the icon disappears after a few seconds to make room for other indicators like “typing” or “online.”
As you might guess, the lock has something to do with security. Specifically, the icon indicates that the chat is end-to-end encrypted. This means that all text and voice messages, photos and videos, documents, calls, and status updates can only be read by the sender and the recipient. Third parties, including WhatsApp and Meta, do not have access to the messages.
In end-to-end encryption, a cryptographic lock secures each message before sending. It can only be opened with the recipient’s corresponding key. The key changes with each sent message. WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption is based on the Signal Protocol, an open-source encryption from Signal. This encryption has been standard on WhatsApp since 2016. Essentially, end-to-end encryption is part of the basic security measures for messengers. However, there are services, such as Telegram, where this encryption is not a default setting or is not offered for group chats.
At Least Pretty, Maybe Even Practical
But if end-to-end encryption has been standard on WhatsApp for years, what is the purpose of the new lock icon? For one, the icon makes the chat’s security level directly visible. While you could previously verify the encryption, you had to first open the contact information in a chat and then scroll to the “Encryption” section. This small detour is now eliminated. Perhaps the visible lock even increases users’ awareness of their own privacy.
While WhatsApp’s lock icon currently falls into the “nice to have” category, it could prove to be quite practical in the future. Due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, WhatsApp will have to open up to other messaging services. However, security standards must not be lowered. Third-party providers should therefore also work with the Signal Protocol or a compatible alternative–at least according to Meta.
Chats from other messengers, such as Signal, are expected to appear in a separate section within the WhatsApp app. Here, the lock icon could potentially provide direct information about the respective security standard. However, the question arises whether WhatsApp will support exchanges with messengers that do not have end-to-end encryption. If not, the new lock icon is at least a small service to give more visibility to data protection.