Title page
Contents
Executive Summary 5
Introduction 8
Methodology 9
Messaging Apps Overview: Product Features, Privacy, and Security 10
Product Features 10
Data Privacy 10
Security 11
Telegram, WhatsApp, and WeChat: Background and Policies 15
Telegram 15
WeChat 17
WhatsApp 19
Issues and Trends 21
Multiple Formats and Cross-platform Sharing 21
Transnational Issues and Local Connections 24
Diaspora Groups 25
Spread of Misinformation and Disinformation 28
Telegram and the Far Right 32
Instrumentalization for Foreign Influence Campaigns 34
Emerging Use in Electoral Campaigns 37
Unsolicited Sharing of Sexual Imagery and Content Derived from Child Abuse 38
Unsolicited Messages from Business Accounts 38
Methods for Detecting Harmful Content in Messaging Apps 39
User Reporting 39
Message Franking 41
Metadata and Behavioral Analysis 41
Exceptional Access Backdoors or Key Escrow Systems 42
Automated Scanning and Hash Databases 43
Implications of Different Methods for Content Detection on Messaging Apps 44
Key Takeaways 46
Recommendations 49
Recommendations for Platforms 49
Recommendations for Policymakers 50
Conclusion 52