WhatsApp 'blue double tick' can 'damage relationships', say Spanish users, and is leading to online fraud

 

THE controversial 'blue double tick' on WhatsApp messages which has appeared since the network was bought out by Facebook is causing problems in more ways than one - 'breaking up relationships and friendships', as some users claim, and opening the floodgates to phishing attempts.

A group of Valencians, male and female in their 20s and 30s were interviewed and said they felt it was 'an attack on privacy' and could 'lead to misunderstandings'.

"If I get a message and I'm watching the football, I might just read it and decide to reply later, but then the sender has seen I've read it and thinks I'm being 'off'," one young man said.

"It's more likely to cause problems between couples than friends, if you're in the middle of something and your partner gets jealous thinking you're with someone else because you haven't answered their message even though you've read it, but then, that depends upon the type of partner you have and whether they're the jealous sort," said a young woman.

And police are already warning of online fraud attempts.

WhatsApp users have been receiving messages telling them to click on a given link to deactivate the 'blue double tick', which then allows hackers a back door into their personal data if they do so.

Deactivating the 'blue double tick' is not yet an available feature.