WhatsApp under scrutiny as Germany probes messaging apps

Facebook Inc.’s WhatsApp and other messaging services will be investigated by German regulators, who will check how they handle users’ personal information and whether being able to send messages between different providers could boost privacy.

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office said on Thursday it opened a sector inquiry into messenger services, citing possible violations of consumer protection law. It said the probe may also help regulators “gain insight” into whether enabling apps to send messages to each other could prompt users to choose services that do more to protect privacy.

“It is questionable whether and to what extent these services protect personal data,” Andreas Mundt, the regulator’s president, said in the statement.