Former WhatsApp Security Chief Sues Meta, Citing Major Privacy Risks – TechRepublic

Ex-WhatsApp security chief Attaullah Baig is suing Meta and alleging the company ignored flaws that put billions at risk. Meta denies the claims, noting the employee’s dismissal for poor performance. Image: Dimitri Karastelev/Unsplash A former WhatsApp executive has filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company ignored serious security flaws that put billions of users at risk. The case, lodged in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, was brought by Attaullah Baig, who served as WhatsApp’s head of security from 2021 until earlier this year. Baig alleges that thousands of Meta and WhatsApp employees could access sensitive user data — including profile pictures, contact lists, and location details — without proper oversight. He also claims the company turned a blind eye to large-scale account hacking, which he says reached more than 100,000 accounts a day. According to the complaint, Baig repeatedly warned senior leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, about the risks. Instead of addressing his concerns, the company allegedly retaliated by issuing negative performance reviews and ultimately fired him in February. Baig argues that the company’s actions violated a 2019 privacy settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that required Meta to strengthen user protections
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