Why political rebels love WhatsApp
There are well-founded fears that few of the politicians tasked with devising legislation covering the use of encryption technology have any expertise in that field - and in many cases, much understanding of how it even works. Yet a growing number of politicians and their aides are getting hands-on, day-to-day experience of encryption through their use of messaging apps for that most traditionally political pastime: plotting.
The Times recently revealed that Brexit-backing MPs have been coordinating their attacks on chancellor Philip Hammond, Bank of England governor Mark Carney, high court judges and other perceived enemies of a hard exit from Europe via a WhatsApp group called "ERG DExEU/DIT Suppt Group". Meanwhile, on the left, a WhatsApp group called the Birthday Group reportedly played a key role in the coordination of Labour frontbench resignations in 2016, in an effort to unseat Jeremy Corbyn.
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