A lawsuit filed by WhatsApp's former chief of security, Attaullah Baig, against Meta was dismissed last month by the US District Court in Northern California. Judge Laurel Beeler ruled on 19 March that the complaint lacked sufficient factual evidence to proceed.
Baig alleged he was wrongfully terminated in 2023 as part of Meta's performance-based layoffs after raising serious security concerns about the messaging platform. His legal team has stated they intend to refile the case.
Core Allegations Deemed Insufficient
In the suit, Baig claimed his firing violated Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules protecting whistleblowers. He described "gaping security holes" at WhatsApp, including over 100,000 accounts being hacked daily and thousands of employees having access to sensitive user data like locations and profile photos.
Judge Beeler found the complaint "does not contain sufficient facts to show that the plaintiff reported violations of SEC rules or regulations." The court also noted a lack of detail, such as the contents of an internal form Baig said he filed about cybersecurity issues.
Meta Welcomes Dismissal, Baig Vows to Continue
Meta spokesman Andy Stone said the ruling "reaffirms what we've said all along: These claims have no merit." He added, "We're proud of our strong record of protecting people's privacy and security."
Jennifer Gibson, cofounder of the whistleblower advocacy group Psst.org representing Baig, stated the dismissal was on "narrow technical grounds" and not a finding on the facts. "He is not done fighting," Gibson said, confirming plans to refile and address the cited deficiencies.
One Allegation Survives Scrutiny
The judge's ruling indicated that Baig had "sufficient pleadings" regarding allegations against Nitin Gupta, Meta's head of engineering at WhatsApp. Baig claimed Gupta denied him stock grants and sidelined his team in retaliation. Judge Beeler wrote that if the overall claim were not dismissed, "the individual claim against Gupta would survive."
The court also ruled that Baig's allegations did not demonstrate retaliation by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, despite Baig having escalated his concerns directly to him.
Context and Next Steps
The dismissal partly resulted from the judge declining to consider a separate 90-page filing Baig made to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Baig's team argues this document contains crucial supporting evidence.
With the intent to refile, the legal dispute over the circumstances of Baig's departure and the security culture at WhatsApp under Meta's ownership is set to continue in US courts.