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WhatsApp
TOPIC
 / company

WhatsApp

WhatsApp
WhatsApp
The latest news, analysis and opinion on WhatsApp. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Chairman / President
Nitin Gupta
CEO / Managing Director
Will Cathcart
CFO / Finance Director
Jonathan Blames
Industry
Social media
Website
whatsapp.com
Headquarters address
1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California, 94025, USA
Year founded
2009
The fraudster duped the victim into investing on a fake cryptocurrency platform that promised high returns. Photo: Getty Images
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong woman loses HK$21.5 million in cryptocurrency scam

Clerk, 60, was duped by a fraudster posing as an investment expert she met online.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hongkongers lose HK$220 million to customer service scams in August

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Crime in Hong Kong

Man arrested over flag-day scam targeting animal charity donations

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong WhatsApp hijacking scams surge 170% to nearly 2,000 cases

Police say victims lost HK$146 million in first seven months of 2026, with some suffering individual losses exceeding HK$10 million.

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WhatsApp account hijacking is a scam involving fraudsters impersonating friends and relatives or using fake WhatsApp websites to obtain telephone numbers and app registration codes. Photo: AFP
Philip Chua (right), Asia-Pacific director of public policy for products at Meta Platforms, addresses the media alongside police. Chua says Meta is adopting measures such as displaying more information about unknown callers. Photo: Sun Yeung
Singapore

Costly lesson: how Singapore investors are lured by foreign-stock scams

Analysts say real overseas stocks, trading platforms and chat groups can give scams a veneer of legitimacy.

Hong Kong science and tech

Hong Kong parents to get alerts over teens’ self-harm searches on Instagram

Meta Platforms rolls out alerts to help parents intervene when teenagers repeatedly search for self-harm-related content as part of wider safety measures.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Multi-property owner loses HK$10 million after fraudster poses as possible tenant

Woman duped into bogus friendship by scammer, who promised tips on how to make money fast with cryptocurrencies.

Police have urged residents not to let their guard down for the promise of “high returns” or “expert tips”. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong workers/labour rights

How a Hong Kong charity is using AI to help migrant workers tackle exploitation

Migrasia says AI chatbot PoBot serves as centralised call centre, providing instant support and gathering data to identify patterns of abuse.

United States

Meta ordered in US to pay US$567 million to address child safety harms

Company says it will appeal after a New Mexico judge directs funds to youth mental health programmes and orders app changes.

Russia

Russia charges Telegram founder with aiding terror, issues wanted alert

FSB accuses app administration of enabling acts of sabotage and cyberfraud by Ukrainian forces.

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov. Photo: AFP
Scams and swindles

Fake Dubai prince scam: how AI deepfakes love-bomb victims to steal hearts and money

Fraudsters use real-time face-swapping tech and the likeness of royal ‘Fazza’ to ensnare vulnerable targets.

A manipulated image from a Change.org petition called the 'STOP FAZZA SCAM'. Photo: Change.org
India

India orders WhatsApp to halt username feature over anonymity concerns

The stand-off forces WhatsApp to weigh compliance against mounting concerns about government interference in its biggest market.

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Hong Kong society

No need to share numbers as WhatsApp set to introduce new feature for texting

Starting this week, users can reserve unique usernames that allow them to text without swapping numbers later this year.

Hong Kong police

Hong Kong physiotherapist loses HK$5m in scam involving ‘beautiful assistant’

Facebook ad redirected victim to WhatsApp chat with scammer who pushed fake ‘SecuG Pro’ investment app and solicited transfers.

The victim had communicated with scammer using a WhatsApp profile featuring a professionally dressed woman. Photo: AFP
Britain

My Take | Putting the social media genie back in the bottle will not be easy to do

The determination around the world to crack down on the use of these platforms by children is a response to the mounting evidence of the harm it can do.

Britain is eyeing measures aimed at protecting children online. Photo: Reuters
Central Asia

Afghan government workers face sack, jail after smartphone ban begins

Employees will be available only ‘via telephone calls and email’, an official says, citing an order from the supreme leader.

Britain

UK bans under 16s from social media apps including TikTok, YouTube

The move makes the UK part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.

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United States

New Mexico trial citing ‘public nuisance’ laws against Meta, social platforms

The case is being closely watched as governments across the US pursue similar claims seeking to force big tech platforms to change to protect young users.

A recording of Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s deposition is played for the jurors on March 4, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Photo: AP
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong car owner loses HK$500,000 in fuel membership card scam

Fraudsters exploit surging fuel prices by offering bogus prepaid petrol card deals, police say.

United States

Meta and Google liable for damages in landmark US addiction trial

Jury orders US$6 million payout to a young woman, a verdict that could affect thousands of similar cases against tech companies.

Social media

Meta ordered to pay US$375 million in New Mexico child safety trial

Meta said it would challenge the decision after a jury found the social media giant liable for endangering minors.

A recording of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s deposition being played for jurors. Photo: Santa Fe New Mexican via AP
Artificial intelligence

Tencent adds ClawBot plug-in to WeChat amid OpenClaw boom and privacy warnings

With over 1 billion users, WeChat becomes Tencent’s biggest OpenClaw campaign, bringing into focus opportunity and regulatory caution.

Tencent is seeking to capitalise on the OpenClaw craze. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine war

Most of Ukraine’s Chernihiv region has no power after Russian attack

Meanwhile, although Putin’s regime has thwarted protests over the blocking of the popular messaging app, Telegram, there is still discontent.

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Scams and swindles

150,000 Meta accounts shut down in Southeast Asian scam centre crackdown

Meta has also launched protective tools such as Facebook and WhatsApp alerts for suspicious friend requests and activities.

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Russia

WhatsApp accuses Russia of blocking service to force users to state ‘super-app’

WhatsApp and Telegram sound the alarm as the Kremlin chokes off Western apps to promote MAX, a state-backed rival modeled after China’s WeChat.

Meta criticises Russia for erasing WhatsApp from national records, calling the shift to state-run MAX a setback for safety. Photo: Reuters
India

India tightens social media grip as Meta, YouTube, X face 3-hour takedown rules

New rules tighten compliance deadlines, forcing platforms to remove flagged AI-generated content and misinformation within hours or face legal action.

Social media applications are displayed on a mobile phone. Photo: Reuters
Artificial intelligence

China’s cloud giants race to support Moltbot, the ‘AI that actually does things’

Hyperscalers embrace the AI agent, which can execute tasks without step-by-step instructions, but privacy concerns loom large.

Malaysia

Malaysia moves to regulate WhatsApp, Facebook and others under online safety law

The decision to deem major platforms licensed regardless of application closes a regulatory gap, but questions remain over enforcement.

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