WhatsApp help pages hid LLM instructions on regulators
The gist
Privacy firm Redact found hidden AI instructions on 80 WhatsApp help pages, including one barring regulator referrals.
The notes told a support chatbot not to cite the EU law granting users that right.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2, 2026WhatsApp's privacy policy for the European region took effect.
- Oct 8, 2026Redact first noticed the hidden text on WhatsApp's help pages and copied the wording from the pages.
- Oct 19, 2026Redact published its post by Dan Saltman on the findings; WIRED also published its report, and after WIRED contacted Meta the text was removed from across all the pages.