What does Telegram have to do with WhatsApps problems?
The reasonableness of the WhatsApp design decision is ultimately to be determined by users. If users have no insight into the design then we can hardly say they have already decided on reasonableness. At best we can say they are ambivalent. (But if that were true, why would anyone responsible for the design care about the headline?)
Whether users get their insights into the design from WhatsApp, self-directed research, the work of "security researchers" or the media is perhaps an important issue.
If WhatsApp has made the "right" decisions then one would think they would be very forthcoming in subjecting them to review by users. If so, there would be very few surprises. WhatsApp could simply point to a detailed, public, technical document they released and say, "There it is. We tested or considered this before releasing the software and informed users about the risks, however remote. As such, nothing has been "discovered" by these researchers."
But I suspect if we went looking for this information we might only find marketing. Information promoting a "new feature", group chats.
If a WhatsApp/Facebook employee or contractor joins the chat is that considered an "attacker"? Example of a silly question perhaps, but it still needs to be answered, lest some "security researcher" and the media produce an undesired headline.
Anyone designing a messaging system today should be aware that some people are going ask these types of questions, sooner or later. Millions of people will not ask them and use the software willingly, but does that necessarily mean they do not care about these questions if someone else asks them? If yes, then headlines about "non-issues" should be of no concern.
The reasonableness of the WhatsApp design decision is ultimately to be determined by users. If users have no insight into the design then we can hardly say they have already decided on reasonableness. At best we can say they are ambivalent. (But if that were true, why would anyone responsible for the design care about the headline?)
Whether users get their insights into the design from WhatsApp, self-directed research, the work of "security researchers" or the media is perhaps an important issue.
If WhatsApp has made the "right" decisions then one would think they would be very forthcoming in subjecting them to review by users. If so, there would be very few surprises. WhatsApp could simply point to a detailed, public, technical document they released and say, "There it is. We tested or considered this before releasing the software and informed users about the risks, however remote. As such, nothing has been "discovered" by these researchers."
But I suspect if we went looking for this information we might only find marketing. Information promoting a "new feature", group chats.
If a WhatsApp/Facebook employee or contractor joins the chat is that considered an "attacker"? Example of a silly question perhaps, but it still needs to be answered, lest some "security researcher" and the media produce an undesired headline.
Anyone designing a messaging system today should be aware that some people are going ask these types of questions, sooner or later. Millions of people will not ask them and use the software willingly, but does that necessarily mean they do not care about these questions if someone else asks them? If yes, then headlines about "non-issues" should be of no concern.