# WhatsApp

This year

2023

Meta unveils new broadcasting WhatsApp feature 'Channels'

Channels was described as a one-way broadcast tool that lets account administrators send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls.

14.2k

Jun 8th 2023, 8:50 AM

# GDPR

WhatsApp Ireland fined €5.5 million for breaches of GDPR

The Data Protection Commission also announced that WhatsApp Ireland has six months to bring its data processing operations into compliance.

13.1k

Jan 19th 2023, 1:38 PM

Last year

2022

# Meta Misstep

'I got this wrong': Meta's layoffs and what they mean for Ireland

Mark Zuckerberg said things ‘did not play out’ as expected, but Meta has committed to long-term plans in Ireland.

33.8k

Nov 9th 2022, 8:00 PM

# WhatsApp

WhatsApp begins rolling out Communities feature to bundle together group chats

It will be available globally in the next few months, WhatsApp has said.

21.8k

Nov 3rd 2022, 9:42 AM

# Back in business

WhatsApp comes back online after global service outage

Many people took to social media this morning to complain that they were unable to send or receive messages on the platform.

44.2k

Updated

Oct 25th 2022, 12:55 PM

# group chat

People will be able to leave WhatsApp groups without alerting others under new privacy update

Users will also be able to hide that they are online as part of the new features.

30.3k

Aug 9th 2022, 8:37 AM

All time

# UK

Wembley murders officers jailed over ‘shameful’ WhatsApp images

Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis took photos of the scene they were assigned to guard after sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were found dead.

49.3k

Updated

Dec 6th 2021, 5:19 PM

# Court

WhatsApp Ireland allowed to challenge €225m GDPR fine in High Court

WhatsApp claims the fine constitutes the imposition of a criminal sanction

11.4k

Nov 8th 2021, 4:59 PM

# Social Media

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp outage caused by error during maintenance work, company says

The social networks and messaging service went offline for more than five hours on Monday.

10.4k

Oct 6th 2021, 2:34 PM

# Explainer

Explainer: Why did Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp go down yesterday?

The platforms were down for around six hours yesterday.

37.5k

Oct 5th 2021, 12:33 PM

# Social Media

WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook down with users complaining of outages

Facebook and its subsidiaries have tweeted statements confirming the outage.

220k

Updated

Oct 4th 2021, 10:47 PM

# signal app

Five members of Cabinet have downloaded app that allows encrypted messages to be wiped

Unlike WhatsApp, the data from Signal messages is retained on the device only and not backed up in the cloud.

55.8k

Updated

Sep 5th 2021, 3:10 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

'Patent ambiguity': WhatsApp's record €225 million fine underlines grave transparency issues

A report by

Ian Curran

The Data Protection Commission’s final 250-plus page decision could be significant for the application of GDPR.

Some of the information provided by WhatsApp to users was described as "unnecessarily ambiguous" and "ill-defined".

Non-users of WhatsApp were given no information about why the company was processing their mobile phone numbers.

Engaging with WhatsApp's Privacy Policy during the inquiry was described as a "needlessly frustrating exercise".

21.2k

Sep 5th 2021, 12:05 AM

# GDPR

WhatsApp Ireland hit with record €225 million fine by Data Protection Commissioner

The Irish privacy watchdog has also reprimanded the company over its failure to comply with GDPR transparency rules.

71.5k

Sep 2nd 2021, 11:22 AM

# Brian Leddin

Eamon Ryan says there's no space for 'demeaning' private messages after Green TD apology

Limerick City TD Brian Leddin apologised at the weekend for messages posted in a WhatsApp group.

32.6k

Aug 30th 2021, 3:09 PM

# Downing Street

Dominic Cummings steps up criticism of Boris Johnson’s suitability for office

Boris Johnson’s former aide Dominic Cummings criticised the UK Prime Minister for a lack of focus.

36.6k

Jun 21st 2021, 7:00 PM

# WhatsApp

WhatsApp to roll-out in-app banner in bid to help explain privacy update after concerns raised

It will also display messages in the Status section of the app.

27.9k

Feb 18th 2021, 10:41 PM

# privacy vs free services

WhatsApp reassures users of privacy as people flock to Signal and Telegram

“We can’t see your private messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.

43.8k

Jan 14th 2021, 7:47 AM

# Podcast

The Explainer: Our favourite explanations of the year

Here’s the best bits of our podcast this year

10.9k

Dec 29th 2020, 8:00 AM

# United States

Facebook anti-trust lawsuits seek to divest Instagram and WhatsApp

The Federal Trade Commission said Facebook has engaged in a “a systematic strategy” to eliminate its competition

13.7k

Dec 10th 2020, 7:22 AM

# Joy

'The only person that can hit me up on WhatsApp this time is Klopp' - Wycombe star

The 38-year-old forward gave a jubilant interview following the win over Oxford.

13.6k

Jul 13th 2020, 10:54 PM

# evening sitdown

Your evening longread: What's wrong with Whatsapp?

It’s a coronavirus-free zone as we bring you an interesting longread each evening to take your mind off the news.

55.8k

Jul 2nd 2020, 8:00 PM

# factcheck

Debunked: No, WhatsApp isn't about to start charging users to send messages

A message circulating WhatsApp claims that the platform is going to start charging users from “Saturday morning”.

49.1k

Apr 22nd 2020, 6:05 AM

# debunked

Debunked: No, this is not a picture of Bulgarian workers outside a supermarket in Dublin this week

The photo has been widely shared on social media and messaging services.

368k

134

Apr 17th 2020, 6:48 PM

# fake message

Debunked: A video called 'move your cucu' will not format your phone, but people still advised to be wary of scams

The WhatsApp message is reminiscent of a previous hoax text in 2015.

21.6k

Apr 9th 2020, 6:00 AM

# Your Say

Poll: Should social media companies do more to tackle the spread of Covid-19 misinformation?

WhatsApp has moved to restrict the forwarding of content to just one person in one go.

14.9k

Apr 7th 2020, 11:02 AM

# incoming message

New WhatsApp restrictions to curb the spread of misinformation about Covid-19

Volumes of misinformation about coronavirus has been circulated through messaging and social media apps.

31.2k

Apr 7th 2020, 10:49 AM

# false claims

Debunked: That WhatsApp message with health tips from a doctor in China is false and misleading

A message claiming to be from a friend’s uncle who works in a hospital in China has been circulating lately.

54.7k

Mar 30th 2020, 3:34 PM

# WHO Health Alert

World Health Organization launches a coronavirus WhatsApp service

This is to fight misinformation that has been spreading like wildfire on social media, mostly on WhatsApp.

125k

Mar 21st 2020, 10:40 AM

# Podcast

The Explainer: How did misinformation about the coronavirus spread on Whatsapp in Ireland?

One of the striking things about the coronavirus outbreak is the sheer scale of misinformation being spread about it. We take a look at why, and what it means.

25.8k

Mar 19th 2020, 6:00 PM

# FAKE NEWS

Simon Coveney criticises WhatsApp messages about lockdown that are spread 'deliberately to cause panic'

No: that WhatsApp message about a military lockdown, that went viral at the weekend, is not true.

81.8k

Mar 16th 2020, 10:53 AM

# Courts

Explainer: How a woman was prosecuted over deleted child sex abuse images she was sent without consent

The woman believed she had deleted the video, but it had saved automatically to her phone.

47.5k

Feb 8th 2020, 8:30 AM

# Courts

Woman who was sent child sex abuse images on Whatsapp but deleted video prosecuted for possession

The court heard that Omo Delpin Omorouyi can no longer pursue her career as she cannot get garda vetting.

58.0k

Feb 4th 2020, 2:29 PM

# WRC

Senior executive awarded €7k after being sacked over 'very offensive' WhatsApp messages

The Workplace Relations Commission has found that he was unfairly dismissed.

43.1k

Dec 20th 2019, 5:22 PM

# Circuit Criminal Court

Man convicted of assaulting transgender escort after alleged dispute over payment

Ben O’Reilly was acquitted of robbing Fernanda de Freitas’s cash and phone.

31.8k

Dec 16th 2019, 5:39 PM

# nso group

WhatsApp sues Israeli firm accusing it of hacking phones of journalists and activists

NSO Group strongly denies the claims.

10.3k

Oct 29th 2019, 10:18 PM

# Law Society

Law Society claims 'tits and filth' WhatsApp group contained no reference to female students

‘Offensive’ content was allegedly circulated among students at Blackhall Place.

33.6k

Oct 14th 2019, 4:38 PM

# message encryption

Facebook warned that new privacy rules could aid terrorism and child abuse

The social media network has been dogged by several privacy scandals in recent years.

11.6k

Oct 4th 2019, 11:37 AM

# Startups and tech

WhatsApp is growing its Irish team that engages with law enforcement

Analysts are responsible for checking requests made by authorities like An Garda Síochána.

1.2k

Aug 29th 2019, 1:49 PM

# spyware

WhatsApp has identified a 'serious security vulnerability' - Here's what you need to know

The company has officially notified the Data Protection Commission about the breach.

71.5k

May 14th 2019, 2:56 PM