WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Its convenient features like texting, voice calls, video calls, and group chats make it a top choice for many. However, as WhatsApp is owned by Meta (formerly Facebook), some users have concerns about privacy and security.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is one way WhatsApp users try to enhance their privacy and security. But is WhatsApp video calling actually safe when using a VPN? Let’s explore this question.
How WhatsApp Calls Work
To understand if using a VPN helps keep WhatsApp video calls safe, we first need to know how WhatsApp calls work. When you make a WhatsApp call or video call to another user:
- Your phone makes a connection to WhatsApp’s servers
- WhatsApp verifies your identity and your contact’s identity
- WhatsApp brokers an end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer connection between you and your contact
- Your call data (voice, video) travels encrypted between your phones
- WhatsApp’s servers facilitate the call but cannot access call data
Key points:
- WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for calls
- Call data goes directly between users – WhatsApp servers don’t access it
This end-to-end encryption is an important security feature. It prevents WhatsApp itself, hackers, or governments from accessing your call data.
How VPNs Work
Now let’s look at how VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) work:
- You connect your device to a VPN server, usually run by a VPN provider
- This creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server
- Internet traffic from your device is routed through the encrypted tunnel
- Your IP address is replaced with the VPN server’s address, hiding your identity and location
Key points about VPNs:
- Encrypts data between your device and VPN server
- Hides your real IP address
- Routes your internet traffic through the VPN server
VPNs are often used to enhance privacy and security. But how do they impact WhatsApp video call safety?
Does Using a VPN Keep WhatsApp Video Calls Safe?
When considering WhatsApp call security with a VPN, there are a few factors to weigh:
Privacy from external parties
A VPN can provide additional privacy benefits for your WhatsApp video calls. By hiding your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic, a VPN prevents your internet service provider (ISP) from seeing that you are using WhatsApp or making WhatsApp calls.
It also hides your WhatsApp usage and calling activity from external parties like advertisers and governments. This prevents tracking and surveillance of your WhatsApp activity.
Encryption between your device and the VPN server
Your WhatsApp call data remains securely encrypted end-to-end between you and the recipient. However, when using a VPN, there is additional encryption between your device and the VPN server.
While this does not impact the end-to-end encryption of your actual WhatsApp call data, it does provide an extra layer of security around your device’s internet traffic.
Routing via VPN server
With a VPN, your WhatsApp call data gets routed through the VPN server before traveling from your device to the recipient’s. This means:
- The VPN server knows you are making a WhatsApp call
- But it cannot access your actual call data due to end-to-end encryption
So while the VPN provider could know that a WhatsApp call is occurring, the call content remains hidden from them.
Metadata protection
While your WhatsApp call data is encrypted from end-to-end, some metadata around your calls may still be visible. This includes information like:
- The usernames involved in the call
- Call timing and duration
- How much data was transferred
A VPN can hide this metadata from external parties like your ISP. However, the VPN provider itself may still have access to metadata about your WhatsApp calls.
VPN risks
While VPNs have some benefits, they also come with risks:
- Your VPN provider could log your activity and metadata
- Your data is decrypted briefly on the VPN server before being re-encrypted to the internet
- VPN server locations can be compromised
- Some VPN providers have poor security practices
So it’s crucial to choose a reputable VPN provider who you can trust, and who has robust security protections for their servers.
Best Practices for Safe WhatsApp Video Calls
Here are some best practices for keeping your WhatsApp video calls as safe as possible:
- Always keep WhatsApp updated to the latest version
- Enable two-factor authentication in WhatsApp for added security
- Be cautious about clicking unknown WhatsApp links as they could compromise your device
- Use strong and unique passwords for WhatsApp and your device
- Enable screen lock on your device with a strong passcode, fingerprint, or face unlock
- Consider using a reputable VPN for added privacy, but research providers carefully first
- Avoid public/unsecured WiFi networks for making WhatsApp calls
Following these tips will help maximize your WhatsApp security and minimize risks.
Conclusion
WhatsApp calls are already protected by end-to-end encryption, providing a good level of security for your call data between you and your contact. A VPN can offer some additional benefits:
- Preventing your ISP and external parties from tracking your WhatsApp usage and calls
- Adding an extra layer of encryption around your device’s internet traffic
- Hiding some metadata like usernames from your ISP
However, even with a VPN, the VPN provider may still have access to metadata about your WhatsApp calls occurring. And VPNs come with their own risks if choosing an untrustworthy provider.
For the best WhatsApp call security, use safety practices like strong passcodes and enable two-factor authentication. Only use a high-quality VPN from a provider you trust, configured correctly to work with WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.
This combination offers you the most private and secure experience for your WhatsApp video calls.