WhatsApp now allows its users to connect via proxy servers in order to bypass government blockades, among other things. This is intended to be used in countries where people would otherwise be excluded from using WhatsApp.
The company announced this today. With the new proxy support, users can access WhatsApp even if a country’s government blocks the service, the statement said.
The new proxy support option is available to all users using the latest WhatsApp iOS and Android apps. WhatsApp also underlined that connecting through a proxy maintains the privacy and security of the messages as they remain protected by end-to-end encryption. This ensures that messages can only be read by the sender and recipient, without anyone being able to access the content, whether at the proxy server, Meta or WhatsApp.
“Using a proxy does not change the high level of privacy and security that WhatsApp offers to all users. Your personal messages and calls will continue to be protected with end-to-end encryption,” the company said.
“Only use a proxy if you can’t connect to WhatsApp. Your IP address may be visible to the proxy provider that isn’t WhatsApp,” reads a warning when setting up the proxy in the app. To connect through a proxy on Android and iOS, one needs to enter a proxy address after enabling the “Use proxy” option under “Storage and data” in WhatsApp settings. WhatsApp has provided instructions in the FAQ on how to find such a server and how to use the proxy server to bypass a blockage.
“Our wish for 2023 is that these internet shutdowns never occur. Shutdowns like the ones we have experienced in Iran for months violate people’s human rights and cut them off from urgent assistance,” WhatsApp said. “We hope this solution will help people wherever there is a need for secure and reliable communications should the shutdowns continue.”
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