WhatsApp has announced Proxy server support for WhatsApp users across the world. This means WhatsApp will allow users to continue using the app even if the app’s service has been blocked by the government.
The Meta company in a blog post wrote that it is launching proxy support for WhatsApp users all over the world. The company calls the move a means to put power into users’ hands to maintain access to WhatsApp if their connection is blocked or disrupted. It further informs that using proxy server wouldn’t impact the privacy of the message shared across chat.
“Connecting via proxy maintains the high level of privacy and security that WhatsApp provides. Your personal messages will still be protected by end-to-end encryption — ensuring they stay between you and the person you’re communicating with and are not visible to anyone in between, not the proxy servers, WhatsApp, or Meta,” WhatsApp states in the post.
Internet shutdown and censorship are some of the popular ways how a government these days tries to control its citizens. A total of 74 countries around the world have announced Internet shutdown since 2016. While the shutdowns mean cutting off the population from the Internet completely, censorship could block access to any particular app or Internet service in that area.
Connecting via proxy server means user can connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world. Proxy servers are one of the ways how world is finding ways to get around the censorship. It basically lets you bypass the censorship by rerouting the traffic through another server.
WhatsApp’s announcement of Proxy server support comes after Iranian government recently attempted to disrupt WhatsApp and Instagram services in the country as the protests over the death of a woman in police custody gained momentum. The country also witnessed major Internet outages.
“We exist to connect the world privately. We stand with the rights of people to access private messaging. We are not blocking Iranian numbers. We are working to keep our Iranian friends connected and will do anything within our technical capacity to keep our service up and running,” WhatsApp responded to the reports of disrupted service in the country few months back.