Meta’s recently launched “Not even WhatsApp” global advertising campaign is more than just a marketing campaign – it’s bringing the topic of information confidentiality to the public in a way that is highly relatable. The campaign cuts through complexity by using simple, relatable visuals to convey personal messages being encrypted.
The global campaign, currently featured on billboards in London Waterloo, was launched to emphasise that no-one, “Not even WhatsApp” can read messages. It features a striking visual: speech bubbles split in two. The left side shows the beginning of a personal or provocative message – something that might pique curiosity – while the right side is obscured. This split bubble effectively demonstrates end-to-end encryption in action: a conversation that can only be read by the intended recipients.
Of course there are nuances to consider – recipients can easily share messages, and the proliferation of WhatsApp groups means a sender needs to think carefully about who else might be on copy to receive the message. WhatsApp continues to receive criticism for its privacy policy that allows it to collect and share user and usage data with third-parties and other Meta companies such as Facebook.
“This campaign humanises the concept, showing how privacy plays a role in everyday conversations”
However, for many people, encryption is an abstract technical term, and they possibly haven’t given it much thought before. This campaign humanises the concept, showing how privacy plays a role in everyday conversations – from sharing private thoughts to discussing personal matters. By highlighting the emotional and social benefits of encryption, WhatsApp is helping users understand why confidentiality matters. In fact they’re relying on it as a positive feature that will attract users to their platform.
This mainstream messaging supports the work of CISOs and security teams in a powerful way. One of the greatest challenges in implementing corporate data protection policies is getting employees to care about something they don’t fully understand. But if people already see encryption as essential in their personal lives, they are more likely to appreciate its importance in the workplace too. Campaigns like this build a cultural foundation where privacy is valued instinctively, not just mandated by policy.
…a step forward
As cyber threats continue to evolve, this kind of awareness and normalisation of security principles is a step forward. It promotes a broader, more informed public dialogue around data privacy. For the cyber security community, it’s helpful for the broader mission of cyber security awareness – and a sign of how far public understanding of digital privacy has come.
Written by: Emma Webb-Hobson
Business Operations Director
Reliance Cyber
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