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The Guardian Reveals That Whisper App Tracks "Anonymous" Users

Posted by samzenpus on from the you-keep-using-that-word-I-do-not-think-it-means-what-you-think-it-means dept.

New submitter qqod writes this story at The Guardian that raises privacy concerns over the Whisper app. "The company behind Whisper, the social media app that promises users anonymity and claims to be the “the safest place on the internet”, is tracking the location of its users, including some who have specifically asked not to be followed. The practice of monitoring the whereabouts of Whisper users – including those who have expressly opted out of geolocation services – will alarm users, who are encouraged to disclose intimate details about their private and professional lives. Whisper is also sharing information with the US Department of Defense gleaned from smartphones it knows are used from military bases, and developing a version of its app to conform with Chinese censorship laws."

7 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Careless whisper by telleropnul · · Score: 5, Funny

    We could have been so good together
    We could have lived this dance forever

  2. Don't trust any app these days by Nyder · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's getting to the point where you can't trust anything these days, because the NSA or other criminals seem to have access to your data.

    And remember, the FBI head dude doesn't want you to use encryption.

    Is this the America we are supposed to be proud of?

    --
    Be seeing you...
    1. Re:Don't trust any app these days by vikingpower · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Mod parent up into the sky, please. As a European, I am watching at the sideline, with ever-growing incredulity, how US Americans take all this, and worse, and more, from their so-called "government", from their unbelievably brutal "law enforcement", from what once was their state. What do you people need for an incentive to kick off a revolution ? Maybe if the US government put almost 1% of your population into prison, you would finally protest. Oh no, shit, wait....

      --
      Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
  3. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is almost not certainly the app you have been curious about. The company called Whisper Systems was started by Moxie Marlinspike, a highly respected cypherphunk. Their app is called redphone. The "whisper" app, though, is made by a company called Whisper, which has close DoD ties and all sorts of red flags.

    The similarity in names is no coincidence. I think this is actually a deliberate attempt to spread distrust about phone crypto apps.

  4. No profit in it by EzInKy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Any business depends on profit to survive, and there is no profit to be had in providing privacy...and certainly not privacy without a fee. A fee of course means a method of payment, and every method of payment is traceable to some extent. Even totally volunteer systems are no guarantee of privacy, as governments are certain to be the first to volunteer.

    --
    Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
  5. Re: Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The app is called Signal - Private Messenger in the Apple App Store. The android version is RedPhone. Just in case anyone is interested. It is a neat little end to end encryption app however I haven't checked the source code so I can't vouch for it.

  6. Re:Surprise by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "He’s a guy that we’ll track for the rest of his life and he’ll have no idea we’ll be watching him," the same Whisper executive said.

    Pro-tip: The people who scream the loudest about privacy and anonymity, but won't show you their source: these are the honeypots. And agent provocateurs. If someone's pushing you to do something for no good reason, perhaps you should ignore them.