Hoax – From today, AI is available on WhatsApp and can access all group and private chats unless administrators enable the “Advanced Chat Privacy” option.
Analysis
In August 2025, a chain message began circulating again on messaging apps claiming that WhatsApp had activated an artificial intelligence feature capable of accessing all user conversations. The text stated that, to prevent this, it would be necessary to enable the “Advanced Chat Privacy” function.
This type of message follows the same pattern as previous hoaxes involving the app: alarmist language, urgent instructions, and the suggestion to share the content with as many people as possible. Read:
Good afternoon! Starting today, AI is available on WhatsApp and has access to all conversations. All group administrators can/should enable the “Advanced Privacy” option. Otherwise, the artificial intelligence may open group messages, see phone numbers, and even retrieve personal information from the phone, including in private chats. How to avoid this? 1. Open the group chat. 2. Tap the chat name at the top. 3. Scroll down and enable the “Advanced Chat Privacy” option. Do this as soon as possible and share with the other groups you belong to, especially if you are an administrator.
Fact-check
The alert raised concerns in groups and among users who fear losing privacy in their conversations. To better understand the veracity of this message, we answer three main questions: 1) Can AI access group messages on WhatsApp? 2) What is the “Advanced Chat Privacy” function really about? 3) Did this really happen “starting today”?
Can AI access WhatsApp group messages?
No. Messages sent on WhatsApp are protected by end-to-end encryption, meaning only the sender and recipient can access the content. Not even Meta, the company that owns the app, can read the messages. This makes any AI access to private or group conversations impossible.
The AI features present in WhatsApp are designed for specific user interactions with virtual assistants, not for “spying” on groups. This same false alert has already been debunked in another article by Boatos.org.
What is the “Advanced Chat Privacy” feature?
The function exists, but it has nothing to do with AI accessing messages. According to official WhatsApp announcements, this option was created to enhance security in calls, hide IP addresses, protect notifications, and even prevent screenshots in some contexts. In other words: the tool does not block artificial intelligence, nor does it prevent an access that, by the very nature of encryption, does not occur.
Did this happen on WhatsApp “starting today”?
No. The chain uses the common tactic of saying that something will happen “starting today” to create a sense of urgency. This hoax is not new: similar versions have circulated in previous years with different claims, such as a false charge for sending images, the supposed account blocking on “the 31st”, or the automatic sharing of private conversations with Facebook. In all cases, it is alarmist content with no factual basis.
Conclusion
The message warning that “WhatsApp AI can access all conversations” and that it would be necessary to activate the “Advanced Chat Privacy” option is false. Messages remain protected by end-to-end encryption, and the cited function has nothing to do with spying on groups or contacts. It is just another unfounded chain that circulates periodically on messaging apps.
Fake news ❌
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