WhatsApp

Western intelligence warns of Iranian cyber campaign using spyware against activists, press

Britain's National Cyber Security Center said Iranian state-linked cyber actors had used a spyware family known as "CHOSEN BRICK" to steal emails, messages, and other sensitive information.

An illustrative photo of a laptop displaying the Iranian flag, representing Iran in a digital or cyber context, March 27, 2026.
(L-R, clockwise): Safra Catz, Michael Dell, Brandon Korff, Amnon Shashua, and Jan Koum

No. 46: Michael Dell, Amnon Shashua, Safra Catz, Jan Koum, Brandon Korff, Dmitry and Igor Bukhman

 Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram apps are seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021

Australia seeks to curb social media algorithms with new feed choice law

An illustrative image of a man in handcuffs, being arrested.

Court extends detention of soldier suspected of committing sexual offenses against minors


Key barrier to online fraud can be bypassed for pennies, say researchers

Throwaway phone numbers offer a cheap way to bypass authentication text defenses.

 Cyber attacks spiked in 2021

IDF security crackdown can’t fix Israel’s WhatsApp addiction

In Israel 2025, you don't need advanced military systems to gather intelligence, you just need to be in the right WhatsApp group.

 Many people have joined WhatsApp groups that have members of not-for-profits, mothers seeking supplies for their children’s platoons, vendors who can supply goods, and apparently one or more Iranian spies.

Authorities charge two French teens for planning ISIS-linked antisemitic terror attack - report

French authorities charged two teens with an ISIS-inspired terror conspiracy after finding messages suggesting a planned antisemitic attack.

 Illustrative: A police officer waits outside the courtroom at the courthouse in Paris, March 31, 2025.

Russia threatens full ban on WhatsApp

In August, Russia began limiting some calls on WhatsApp, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of refusing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council via a video link in Moscow, Russia November 14, 2025

Qatargate: Feldstein’s WhatsApp messages expose chain of command in PM’s office

New WhatsApp evidence suggests Yonatan Urich directed Eli Feldstein, complicating the "Bild" case.

Yonatan Urich who was arrested in the so-called Qatargate investigation arrives for a court hearing the court in Lod, August 19, 2025.

Read and respond even from your wrist: WhatsApp officially arrives on Apple Watch

After years of requests, Meta is launching a dedicated WhatsApp app for Apple Watch – with support for messages, stickers, and reactions, without giving up end-to-end encryption.

WhatsApp officially arrives on Apple Watch

Privacy takes a leap: The end of the phone number on WhatsApp?

Meta plans a major WhatsApp update letting users sign in with a username instead of a phone number for the first time, similar to Telegram’s long-standing model.

WhatsApp.

iPhone stays in your pocket: WhatsApp arrives on Apple smartwatches

After years of waiting, the popular messaging app WhatsApp has finally launched on Apple smartwatches – with the ability to read, reply, and send voice messages directly from your wrist.

Apple Smartwatches.

WhatsApp, YouTube, and Facebook: What are the most popular apps used in Israel in 2025?

In 2025, the Index also measured the public's use of artificial intelligence services, particularly large language models (AI chatbots), which have become widely accessible.

 Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram apps are seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021

Grapevine, October 19, 2025: Remembering at the National Library

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu lights a candle alongside the memorial wall at the National Library.