Meta says it cannot see WhatsApp messages because they are encrypted with digital keys on users’ phonesA spokesperson for Meta said the contractors’ allegations that they had “unfettered” access to WhatsApp messages are impossible. A spokesperson for Meta, which acquired WhatsApp in 2014, said the contractors’ claims are impossible. “Both sources confirmed that they had employees within their physical work locations who had unfettered access to WhatsApp,” wrote the agent. Meta says it cannot see WhatsApp messages because they are encrypted with digital keys - a tool aimed at safeguarding data - that live on users’ phones and aren’t accessible to the company. In 2021, WhatsApp sued in India challenging Indian rules that would require the company to provide access to encrypted messages.