Naomi Karmi, a researcher of trends and a lecturer on how technology shapes human behavior, came across a message we all recognize. A widely shared warning circulating on WhatsApp, claiming that Meta AI is about to read all your group messages. The message spread so far that Reshet Bet radio called to interview her about it. In a post she published, she broke down the claims one by one.
Does Meta AI Really Read Your Whole WhatsApp?
The short answer is no. Naomi Karmi clarifies that Meta AI has not yet arrived in WhatsApp in Israel, and there is currently no known launch date. The entire message is built on a scenario that does not even exist here yet.
This is the important starting point. Before discussing dangers, it is worth checking whether the situation described in the message is relevant to the current reality at all.
What Can an AI Agent in a Chat Actually See?
Even when Meta AI does arrive, and even when an AI agent is added to a chat or a group, it does not see all your messages. It can only see messages where it is explicitly tagged.
This means there is no sweeping surveillance of the group history. The distinction between what is tagged and everything else is exactly what separates the fear from the actual behavior.
Are Group Privacy Settings Related to AI?
Naomi Karmi explains that group privacy settings are meant to stop people from forwarding messages outside the group or saving photos and videos to their phones. That is useful and worthwhile, but it has nothing to do with artificial intelligence.
Mixing the two topics is a common source of confusion. Protection from human sharing and the management of AI access are two completely different things.
Why Should You Stop Forwarding Fear Messages?
According to Naomi Karmi, we already have enough to worry about, so there is no need to amplify unnecessary panic. In most cases such messages are simply alarming, and in the worst cases they are used to identify people without technical knowledge in order to target them with scams, known as scam targeting.
The practical recommendation is simple. If something related to AI frightens you, check it against a reliable source before sharing. Artificial intelligence is not the devil, it is a new tool that advances quickly and carries both risks and benefits, and you can learn to use it without falling into traps.