Whatsapp messages may help locate tourist missing in Australia
18.06.2019 15:52
Messaging giant Whatsapp is working with Australian authorities to help locate missing Belgian backpacker, Theo Hayez, who disappeared while visiting tourist hotspot Byron Bay, Trend reported citing Xinhua.
18-year-old, Hayez vanished while walking from a nightclub to his hostel on the night of May 31, and is understood to have sent messages via the Whatsapp service in the hours before his disappearance.
Kai Riemer, professor of Information Technology and Organisation at the University of Sydney, told Xinhua on Tuesday that Whatsapp, which is owned by Facebook, would not have access to message content but would likely have access to metadata.
"WhatsApp is an encrypted service, so would not have access to actual message content, but they should have access to content about who communicates with whom, maybe their location if that is shared by their device and if the device was turned on at the time," Riemer said.
The teen's father Laurent Hayez travelled to Australia to assist in the search and has urged WhatsApp to do whatever they can to help locate him.
Whatsapp has said they are assisting police with their enquiries.
"Our hearts go out to Theo Hayez and his family," Whatsapp said in a statement.
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