Texting and WhatsApp are two of the most popular messaging platforms. Both allow users to send messages, photos, videos and more to other users quickly and easily. However, there are some key differences between texting and WhatsApp when it comes to safety and security. This article will compare texting vs WhatsApp in terms of safety factors like encryption, cyber threats and data privacy.
Encryption
Encryption is one of the most important safety factors for any messaging platform. Encryption scrambles messages so that only the intended recipient can read them. This prevents third parties like hackers from being able to access messages.
Texting Encryption
Standard SMS text messages do not have encryption. This means text messages are transmitted in plain text and can potentially be intercepted and read by carriers or hackers. Certain texting apps like Signal do offer end-to-end encryption for added security. But standard texting between mobile numbers does not have any built-in encryption.
WhatsApp Encryption
WhatsApp uses the Signal protocol to provide end-to-end encryption for all messages, voice calls and video calls. This means only the sender and recipient can read messages, not even WhatsApp itself. WhatsApp messages have better encryption than standard text messages.
Cyber Threats
Online messaging platforms carry certain cyber risks like hacking, malware and phishing scams. The level of cyber threats can differ between texting and WhatsApp.
Texting Cyber Threats
Text messages are vulnerable to several cyber threats:
- SMS phishing – Fraudulent links sent via text to steal personal information
- SMiShing – Malware sent through text messages
- Spoofing – Scammers disguising their phone numbers
- Interception – Hackers accessing unencrypted texts
Standard text messaging provides no built-in protection against these threats. Users must be vigilant against suspicious texts.
WhatsApp Cyber Threats
WhatsApp has advanced security measures to guard against cyber attacks:
- End-to-end encryption prevents hacking/interception
- Identity verification makes spoofing difficult
- Malware detection helps identify malicious links
- Blocking suspicious accounts/messages
However, users should still be cautious about potential phishing attempts over WhatsApp. But overall, WhatsApp provides much better cyber threat protection compared to standard texting.
User Control and Settings
The amount of control and privacy settings is another key safety difference between the two platforms.
Texting User Control
Standard SMS messaging has very limited options for users to control safety and privacy:
- No way to encrypt texts
- Can block individual numbers
- But no other privacy settings
Texting providers have access to message metadata like time, date, sender and receiver. But the message content is not stored.
WhatsApp User Control
WhatsApp provides more safety settings and controls for users:
- End-to-end encryption for all chats
- Option to block contacts
- Privacy settings to control last seen, profile photo, status etc
- Optional two-step verification for added security
WhatsApp has minimal metadata on messages. User data is not sold or shared with third parties.
Safety Features
The native safety features in each platform also differ substantially.
Texting Safety Features
Text messaging has virtually no built-in safety capabilities:
- No identity verification
- No built-in malware protection
- No option to report spam
- Carriers only identify potential spam based on mass texts
Users cannot rely on texting apps for safety and need to exercise caution.
WhatsApp Safety Features
WhatsApp incorporates many automated protections:
- Verification system to confirm identity of users
- Advanced spam detection and ability to report issues
- AI to detect abusive/illegal content
- Banning malicious accounts engaging in hacking, spam etc
WhatsApp also offers a lot of control to users themselves to block contacts, opt out of groups, secure chats etc.
Data Privacy
User data is another area where texting and WhatsApp differ in terms of safety:
Text Messaging User Data
Text messages have minimal user data associated with them:
- Carriers have access to basic metadata like sender, receiver, date/time
- Message content not stored long-term by carriers
- No collecting of personal user info or contacts
Texting has decent data privacy. But lack of encryption is still a risk.
WhatsApp User Data
WhatsApp collects very limited user data:
- Does not store message content due to encryption
- Collects basic mobile phone data like signal strength
- Does not sell user data to advertisers or third parties
WhatsApp has strong data privacy policies and collects minimal personal information. Encryption adds further protection.
Third Party Access
Governments and law enforcement may request access to user data from messaging platforms.
Text Messaging Third Party Access
Text messages have the following risks in terms of third parties:
- Basic metadata like date, time, numbers accessible by carriers
- Carriers can be compelled to share text data with government/law enforcement
- No way for users to know if texts accessed by third parties
Lack of encryption makes text messages potentially accessible under legal orders.
WhatsApp Third Party Access
WhatsApp provides greater protection from third parties:
- End-to-end encryption prevents access to messages
- Minimal metadata available even under legal request
- Will notify users if government orders received for their data
- Fights back against overly broad government requests
While WhatsApp may have to share some data with law enforcement when legally compelled, its encryption makes it much safer from third party access compared to texting.
Conclusion
When comparing the safety of texting vs WhatsApp, WhatsApp comes out significantly ahead. Key advantages of WhatsApp for security include:
- End-to-end encryption for all chats
- Far fewer cyber threats due to security features
- Advanced privacy controls for users
- Minimal collection of user data
- Limited third party access to messages and data
Standard SMS text messaging simply cannot match the level of safety and security provided by a platform like WhatsApp. Text messages are unencrypted and vulnerable to interception and cyber attacks.
While no messaging platform is completely foolproof, users concerned about privacy should favor WhatsApp over standard unencrypted texting whenever possible. With proper user precautions, WhatsApp provides the most secure and private messaging experience.