One of the most serious consequences associated with GB WhatsApp usage is largely due to its status as a modified version of the official WhatsApp app: it does not go through any security screening. GB WhatsApp does not make itself available on the Google Play Store similar to the official WhatsApp, which gives it a way around Google’s security checks. However, cybersecurity experts warn that this makes users vulnerable to malware and spyware themselves as these third-party apps are often not subjected to the same level of security standards. According to a 2023 study, as much as 30% of malware on Android came from apps not installed through a legitimate app store and which pose a major risk for GB WhatsApp users.
First off, the biggest of all is end-to-end encryption — WhatsApp provides this feature as a default. If the encryption is not done, messages exchanged in GB WhatsApp can be read and thus sensitive information such as personal data, passwords or private conversations are open to third-party reading. That is a significant security lapse, especially for users entering sensitive information. A spokesperson for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Eva Galperin — Director of Cybersecurity — fumed: “Apps that don’t have end-to-end encryption are basically inviting data breaches with open arms.”
Additionally, the most popular GB WhatsApp features—the ability to use dual accounts and an unending array of customization—come with a cost to privacy. It asks users to turn off Play Protect, Google’s built-in defense mechanism, which is in active mode scanning out for malicious apps. This essentially opens the user to more risk as disabling play protect effectively implies that google will not check for any suspicious activity or malicious code in the app itself. Apps like GB WhatsApp are vulnerable to disabling security protections that can provide safety against malware infections — which fundamendmentally caused a 20% increase of malware infected Android devices in 2022.
The user account bans is another common issue with GB WhatsApp. In 2022 itself, WhatsApp banned more than 2 million accounts for using unofficial apps like GB WhatsApp, because these apps are against the terms of service of WhatsApp. It is a genuine threat to users of WhatsApp that depend on the platform for daily communication as they are also at risk it from losing access to their accounts without any sort of notification.
Privacy policies have also raised flags, as GB WhatsApp tends to harvest more data than the official app. While Meta has clearly stated how it uses data with official WhatsApp, GB WhatsApp does not disclose how data is being handled and stored. According to Forbes, third-party messaging apps rarely without letting the user know collect a lot of data such as location and device information. This data can be used for nefarious purposes or even sold off to companies that privacy advocates argue invasively use the information collected.
If you are a user who is thinking about using gb whatsapp, keep in mind that these risks must be balanced with the added features of the app. Though the customizations and extra features are neat, the trade-off of no encryption, higher malware exposure, possibility of account bans as well as questionable privacy practices might not be worth it to many. To better understand how to balance privacy, security and attention using GB WhatsApp trade-offs should be made.