Entrepreneur Elon Musk weighed in on the reliability of messaging apps, voicing strong skepticism about WhatsApp and its trustworthiness on his social network. In a sequence of replies, he suggested that the app sometimes accesses the microphone even when users are not actively using it, a claim that sparked widespread discussion about privacy and data safety among users in Canada and the United States.
Responding to a message about the app being part of Meta, the tech group long associated with Facebook, Musk asserted that the founders of WhatsApp became disenchanted with the company after studying its practices and the changes implemented within the messaging service. He implied that this disenchantment motivated an anti-Facebook stance among the early WhatsApp team, aligning with broader debates about corporate ownership and privacy policies. The remarks add to ongoing conversations about how major platforms handle user data and the extent to which ownership shapes product direction, a topic that resonates with American and Canadian audiences navigating digital security and platform transparency today.
Earlier reporting from Bloomberg highlighted Musk’s broader commentary on the pace of artificial intelligence development. The article noted that he warned against rapid progress in AI, suggesting that slowing the timeline could be a strategic move to gain earlier leverage in an increasingly competitive landscape. This perspective reflects concerns in North American tech circles about safety, governance, and the potential for AI advances to outpace regulatory oversight, especially as enterprises, researchers, and policymakers seek practical, accountable frameworks for deploying intelligent systems.
Across these threads, the discussion centers on trust in digital tools, the influence of corporate ownership on product ethics, and the practical realities of privacy in a connected world. For users in North America, the implications are immediate: how much control do apps have over microphones and other sensors, what guarantees exist regarding data usage, and how corporate decisions shape the features that appear in popular messaging apps. The conversation underscores the importance of clear privacy disclosures, transparent data practices, and robust security measures that can help users feel secure while staying productive in everyday life. As public interest grows, industry observers, technologists, and regulators in both the United States and Canada are paying closer attention to how these issues evolve and what standards will emerge to protect consumer interests while fostering innovation. [Citation: Bloomberg report; Industry analysis]