News JVTech WhatsApp censored in several countries? Meta says no!
Published on 06/01/2023 at 20:50
WhatsApp is a luxury that some countries don’t want to give to their citizens. Censorship and blocking of the application are commonplace across the globe, but the number 1 instant messaging service is undeterred, quite the contrary.
WhatsApp is in the sights of some countries
You probably know, WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging application in the world. More than 2 billion users use it daily to communicate and share information. However, some people do not have this privilege, or even this possibility. As pointed out the British newspaper Expresssome countries have decided to apply restrictions ranging from blocking of certain functionssuch as video calls or voice calls,total ban on its use temporarily or permanently.
The use of proxy servers, not to be confused with VPNs, has long been a very effective tool for circumventing internet censorship. However, WhatsApp, did not yet allow you to configure a proxy directly. But that has just changed with the recent announcement made by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, which states that users will also be able to connect using servers created by volunteers and third-party organizations.
Proxy connection to WhatsApp user service!
Proxy connections, as mentioned above, are for users who cannot connect directly to WhatsApp’s servers. In this case, the proxy server acts as an intermediary between the user of the messaging application and the servers which make it possible to send, receive messages, make video calls and also bring to life all the other functions of WhatsApp. Meta and WhatsApp wanted to reassure users about the security of the service and in particular the encryption of messages.
We continue to fight for your right to communicate freely and privately.
Now, when connecting to WhatsApp directly is not possible, you can stay connected around the world through a server set up by volunteers and organizations dedicated to helping others communicate freely.
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 5, 2023
On his blog, the app explains, “Connecting through a proxy server maintains the high level of privacy and security offered by WhatsApp. Personal messages will always be protected by end-to-end encryption, which means that they will remain between the people communicating and no one else can see them, not even proxy servers, WhatsApp or Meta. Nevertheless, and as we explained above, Meta does not provide proxy servers, but supports the possibility of using servers created by volunteers or organizations.
To access this new feature, the user just needs to find a reliable proxy server (or decide to create one by following an interesting guide published on GitHub), and configure it in the app. To do this, on Android, you must go to Settings → Storage and data → Proxy. After clicking on “use proxy”, you can enter your address and save the changes.
On the Apple and iPhone side, go to Settings → Storage and Data → Proxy. As for Android smartphones, after clicking on “use the proxy”, you will have to enter your address and save the changes. It should also be noted that not all proxies are useful and that if one of them does not work, it is advisable to opt for another as long as it is reliable.
