WhatsApp rejected claims by the regime in Tehran on Tuesday that it shares user data with Israel, calling the allegations “false” and warning they could be used to block its service when Iranians need it most.
The company stressed its use of end-to-end encryption and said it does not provide bulk data to any government.
Iran’s call for citizens to delete WhatsApp from their smartphones comes as the regime imposes new internet restrictions and tightens control over digital communications amid the Israel-Iran conflict.
Iran has repeatedly blocked social media platforms, but many Iranians still access them using proxies and VPNs; WhatsApp and Google Play were banned during the 2022 protests over the death of an Iranian woman in police custody, though the ban was lifted late last year, with WhatsApp remaining one of the country’s most popular apps alongside Instagram and Telegram.