Safety law likely to shut UK WhatsApp services, says Will Cathcart

WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging service, could be forced to stop offering its services in the UK if the country passes the current draft of an online safety law, its head said Thursday. 

The Online Safety Bill before Parliament could effectively make the service’s privacy features illegal, WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart told reporters on Thursday at the London offices of its parent, Meta Platforms. The messenger won’t change its encryption standards, he said. “It’s a global product; there isn’t a way to change it in just one part of the world,” Cathcart said. “We’ve recently been blocked in Iran, for