In a federal whistleblower complaint, Attaullah Baig accuses Meta of hiding security and privacy flaws at WhatsApp and contradicting a 2019 FTC privacy order tied to a $5 billion settlement. The suit was filed in US District Court for the District of Northern California.
Baig, who led WhatsApp security starting in 2021, says a red-team exercise uncovered that roughly 1,500 engineers had unrestricted access to user data, including information covered by the FTC order, with no audit trail to detect misuse.
The former executive says he notified WhatsApp leadership beginning in 2021 and urged steps such as data classification and limited access to protect stored user data in line with the FTC order.
Baig described Meta’s corporate culture as akin to a cult, noting that raising concerns about past work was discouraged and that decisions made by superiors often went unchallenged.
Meta has denied the allegations. The company says it prioritizes user privacy and security, and says the suit relies on an inaccurate account of internal processes. The complaint also cites potential violations of whistleblower protections under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
