A public dispute over messaging privacy has grown after Elon Musk criticized WhatsApp and promoted a new chat service under development at X.
The exchange comes as a long-running lawsuit against Meta returns to public attention.
The situation developed when Musk wrote on X that WhatsApp “can’t be trusted.” His comment appeared alongside a class action case in the United States alleging that WhatsApp may allow limited internal access to certain messages under specific conditions. The complaint refers to moderation systems and external contractors, and uses the term “kleptographic backdoor,” although no court has confirmed that such access exists.
WhatsApp rejected the claims. In its response, the company described the allegations as “categorically false” and said its system relies on the Signal Protocol to secure conversations. It stated that end-to-end encryption prevents anyone outside a chat, including the company itself, from reading message content. The company added that messages may become visible only when users choose to report a conversation for review, which it said is different from general access to private chats.
Pavel Durov, head of Telegram, criticized WhatsApp’s privacy model while noting that different platforms apply encryption in different ways. Mark Zuckerberg has not issued a direct personal response, but Meta has maintained its position through official statements.
Alongside the criticism, Musk is preparing to introduce a separate messaging product known as XChat. The service is scheduled to launch on Friday, April 17, 2026, with initial availability limited to iPhone and iPad users. According to details released ahead of the launch, XChat will support encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, large group conversations, and disappearing messages. Users will be able to sign up with an X account without providing a phone number, and the service is expected to operate without advertising in its early stage.
In addition, Musk is involved in a separate dispute in South Africa, where his satellite internet service Starlink has not yet secured full regulatory approval. In statements published on Sunday, April 12, 2026, Musk alleged that licensing requirements linked to the country’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment framework had blocked entry into the market. He also claimed that Starlink had been asked to misrepresent its ownership structure or offer payments to obtain approval, saying, “We were offered many times the opportunity to bribe our way to a license.” South African authorities have not formally responded to these specific allegations but have consistently said that all companies must comply with national regulations.
