Telegram CEO Pavel Durov calls people “braindead” for believing WhatsApp is secure
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov calls people “braindead” for believing WhatsApp is secure
Debate over data protection intensifies as court warning, lawsuit, and Telegram chief’s remarks put WhatsApp’s privacy claims under scrutiny.
A fresh debate over WhatsApp’s data privacy has erupted after the Supreme Court issued a strong warning to Meta and WhatsApp over the misuse of user data, followed closely by sharp remarks from Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who questioned the platform’s security claims.
During a recent hearing, the Supreme Court reportedly cautioned Meta and WhatsApp that misuse of Indian users’ private data would not be tolerated, underlining that companies operating in India must comply with constitutional principles. The court’s observations have renewed focus on how global tech platforms handle user data in the country.
Soon after, Durov shared screenshots of an old chat attributed to Mark Zuckerberg, dating back to his Harvard days when Facebook was in its early stages. In the chat, Zuckerberg was allegedly seen joking about having access to students’ personal data such as emails, photos, and addresses. Durov claimed that while the scale of platforms has grown over the years, the underlying mindset around data collection has not changed.
Commenting on the post, Durov wrote that earlier such access involved a few thousand users, whereas today billions of people place their trust in platforms owned by Meta. His remarks triggered widespread discussion on social media, with users questioning WhatsApp’s long-standing claims of end-to-end encryption and privacy.
The only thing that’s changed since this conversation is the scale. Today, WhatsApp’s owner is privately laughing not at 4 thousand, but at 4 billion “dumb fucks” who trust his claims (like WhatsApp’s encryption). 📈🤡🔐 pic.twitter.com/Yqnkw5qpQo
— Pavel Durov (@durov) February 2, 2026
The controversy was further fuelled by a lawsuit filed against Meta in a US District Court in San Francisco, accusing the company of misleading users about WhatsApp’s privacy protections. According to the complaint, while WhatsApp claims that end-to-end encryption ensures only the sender and recipient can read messages, Meta allegedly stores and analyses certain user data in ways that contradict public assurances.
Reacting to reports about the lawsuit, Durov used unusually strong language, stating that anyone who still believes WhatsApp is secure in 2026 is “braindead”. He also claimed that Telegram had previously studied WhatsApp’s encryption implementation and identified what he described as multiple “attack vectors”.
Meta has categorically denied the allegations. The company maintains that WhatsApp has used the Signal protocol for end-to-end encryption for nearly a decade and insists that it cannot read users’ private messages. A Meta spokesperson described the lawsuit as frivolous and rejected claims that WhatsApp’s encryption is compromised.
This is not the first time WhatsApp’s privacy practices have come under fire. In 2021, changes to its privacy policy led to a large migration of users to Telegram, which positions itself as a privacy-focused alternative and claims it does not share user data for advertising or with governments.
As regulatory scrutiny increases and legal challenges continue, the renewed debate highlights growing public concern over how messaging platforms balance user privacy, data collection, and business interests in an increasingly connected digital world.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or technical advice. Users are advised to review official privacy policies and regulatory updates for accurate guidance.
