In late April 2024, police chiefs from the UK’s National Crime Agency and 32 European countries issued a statement expressing their concerns about the use of end-to-end encryption by instant messaging services like WhatsApp.

The statement recognised that E2E encryption protects users’ personal data, but emphasised that it also prevents authorities from identifying suspicious or illegal activities. And, as we’ll get to in just a moment, encryption doesn’t always guarantee full privacy for users.

What does "end-to-end encryption" actually mean in concrete terms? Does that mean all my data is protected when I send a message then? What’s the best way to stay safe and secure then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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