How much data does your favorite messaging app collect? New study shows 90%
of messaging apps now include AI that puts privacy at risk

Date:
Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
Are your private chats truly secure? New research from Surfshark dives into the most popular messaging apps, revealing alarming data harvesting and AI privacy risks. See why Signal came out on top.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Nine out of the top 10
messaging apps offer end-to-end encryption, but 90% now feature AI tools that could expose your private data. Signal ranks as the most private messaging app, utilizing quantum-secure cryptography and collecting only your phone number. Metas Messenger and LINE rank among the worst offenders for
aggressive data harvesting, collecting vast amounts of user information for advertising and tracking. We trust messaging apps with our most intimate conversations, from sharing passwords with family members to venting about
our bosses. However, while we naturally assume our private chats are staying private, a disturbing new analysis reveals that your favorite app could be harvesting your data right under your nose.

A recent study by cybersecurity firm Surfshark took a magnifying glass to the 10 most popular iOS messaging apps of 2025. The researchers looked past basic marketing promises, examining encryption standards, data collection
practices, and the creeping introduction of artificial intelligence features. The good news is that basic security is becoming an industry standard. 9 out of the 10 apps analyzed provide end-to-end encryption (E2EE) , meaning
nobody, not even the app developer, should be able to intercept and read your messages.

If you combine a secure messaging platform with a reliable VPN to encrypt
your wider web traffic and hide your IP address, your daily communications
are generally safe from prying eyes.

However, the bad news is that aggressive data collection and poorly implemented AI integrations are quietly undermining these encryption efforts. You may like ExpressVPN uncovers 3.7 million items of leaked AI chatbot data iPhone owners urged to change this key privacy setting after FBI recovers suspects deleted Signal messages Workplace apps gathering far more personal data than we all think The best (and worst) messaging apps for your privacy When it comes to treating your data with respect, the messaging market is sharply divided. Surfshark evaluated 35 specific data types listed in the Apple App Store to see exactly what these companies are scooping up. The
best: Signal (Image credit: Signal) With an exceptional privacy score of
0.99, Signal easily takes the crown. It avoids user tracking entirely and
only collects one piece of data: your phone number.

Alongside Apples iMessage, Signal is also one of the only apps to offer quantum-secure cryptography, future-proofing your messages against next-generation cyber threats. The worst: LINE and Messenger (Image credit: DenPhotos / Shutterstock) On the other end of the spectrum, LINE ranks at the absolute bottom with the lowest privacy score. Both LINE and Meta's Messenger are notorious for their data-hungry practices.

While the average messaging app collects 17 data types, Meta's Messenger collects a staggering 32 out of a possible 35 data types . What to read next The end of encrypted DMs? Why Instagram is rolling back its biggest security feature '88% Confident 90% Misled': Government & critical infrastructure leaders fundamentally misunderstand the security of the apps they use Travelling back from Asia? Surfshark warns against the silent data collection of the most popular local travel apps

Furthermore, 30 of those data types can be exploited for purposes completely unrelated to the app's functionality, such as targeted advertising and
product personalization. The stragglers: Discord and Rakuten Viber (Image credit: Getty Images) Discord stands out as the only app in the study that completely fails to provide end-to-end encryption for text-based messages. Along with LINE and Rakuten Viber Messenger, Discord is also one of the few platforms that actively collects data specifically for user tracking. The growing risk of AI in your private chats While encryption keeps hackers out, the widespread adoption of AI tools is creating entirely new vulnerabilities. A staggering 90% of the messaging apps analyzed by Surfshark now offer some form of AI integration .

Whether it's a virtual assistant summarizing a long chat or an AI bot translating a message, these features require access to your conversational data. You aren't just talking to a helpful virtual friend; you are feeding data directly back to the service provider.

Highlighting this threat, researchers from New York University and Cornell University warned in the Surfshark report that AI features are being
developed at a rapid pace, raising significant security risks for users of E2EE applications.

Ultimately, technology can only protect you so far. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently issued warnings about phishing campaigns specifically targeting secure platforms
like Signal.

If a hacker tricks you into handing over your login credentials, no amount of quantum-secure encryption will keep your contact lists and private messages safe.

Want to know more? You can read the full Surfshark report here Today's best Surfshark deals +3 months free Surfshark 24 Months 1.49 /mth View at
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/cyber-security/how-much-data-does-your-fav orite-messaging-app-collect-new-study-shows-90-percent-of-messaging-apps-now-i nclude-ai-that-puts-privacy-at-risk


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