Is absolute security really something that anyone desires from a general purpose instant messenger?
The government might read my WhatsApp messages - so what? They have been able to listen to my phone calls for ages. If there's something I want to keep private (and there is - it's not like "I have nothing to hide"), I will simply not use WhatsApp or any other communication channel I don't fully trust.
I don't care as long as the owner of the coffee shop I'm currently I cannot read my messages.
The government might read my WhatsApp messages - so what? They have been able to listen to my phone calls for ages. If there's something I want to keep private (and there is - it's not like "I have nothing to hide"), I will simply not use WhatsApp or any other communication channel I don't fully trust.
I don't care as long as the owner of the coffee shop I'm currently I cannot read my messages.