Elon Musk is gearing up to introduce X Chat, a new messaging application poised to take on established players like WhatsApp and Telegram. The billionaire entrepreneur has emphasized that this platform will incorporate Bitcoin-inspired encryption and will steadfastly refrain from selling user data to advertisers.
Musk Reveals the Project on Joe Rogan’s Podcast
During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk disclosed that his team has entirely overhauled the messaging infrastructure within the X platform to create a distinct app. He stated,
“We use a peer-to-peer encryption system similar to Bitcoin’s. It’s very secure encryption, which we thoroughly test.”
The anticipated launch of the app is set for the coming months, with Musk highlighting that X Chat will operate without any “advertising hooks,” distinguishing it from competitors that heavily depend on user data for targeted advertising.
Musk’s Criticism of WhatsApp
Musk has not held back in his critique of WhatsApp, asserting that the service “knows enough about your messages to show you relevant ads.” He cautioned,
“If a service knows enough to display ads, hackers can use the same hooks to read private messages.”
In response, WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, has refuted these claims, maintaining that messages are safeguarded by end-to-end encryption through the Signal protocol. However, the company’s policy regarding data sharing among its platforms remains somewhat ambiguous, merely stating that it “works with other Meta companies to improve and support each other’s services.”
Musk’s Promise of a Secure and Ad-Free Future
Musk is committed to ensuring that X Chat sidesteps these vulnerabilities. He remarked,
“I’m not saying the system will be perfect, but our goal is to replace Twitter’s old private messaging with a fully encrypted system. It will allow users to send text, files, and make audio and video calls.”
According to Musk, X Chat aspires to be “the least insecure of all messengers.” The application will be accessible both as an integral part of the X platform and as a standalone download, promising users a secure and ad-free messaging experience.
