The Texas Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Meta, accusing the company of misleading users about the privacy protections on its WhatsApp messaging app. The state claims Meta’s marketing of WhatsApp as having end-to-end encryption is deceptive because the company can still access message content in certain situations.
What the state alleges
The lawsuit, filed in state court, argues that Meta’s representations about WhatsApp’s encryption are false or misleading. Texas says the company’s ability to read messages — for example, when users report a conversation or when messages are backed up — undermines the promise of complete privacy. The attorney general’s office contends that consumers rely on those promises when choosing to use WhatsApp for sensitive conversations.
The state is asking the court to stop the alleged deceptive practices and impose penalties. The exact amount being sought wasn’t specified in the filing.
Why encryption claims matter
End-to-end encryption is meant to ensure that only the sender and recipient can read a message — not the platform itself. Meta has long advertised WhatsApp as offering that protection. But critics and regulators have questioned whether the company’s practices live up to the label. Texas’s suit zeroes in on that gap between the marketing and the technical reality.
The case adds to the legal pressure Meta already faces over its data-handling and privacy policies. The company has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit.
