https://thenextweb.com/security/2019/12/23/the-uae-is-reportedly-spying-on-millions-of-totok-messenger-users/

The New York Times reports that ToTok, an Emirati messaging app, isn’t quite what it seems on the surface. While it promises “FREE, fast, and secure calling and messaging,” it’s reportedly being used by the government of the United Arab Emirates to try to track users’ chats and listen in on their calls.

The news comes from US intelligence officials who spoke to the NYT. The publication noted that this is part of a trend among authoritarian governments that are looking for more effective ways to “spy on foreign adversaries, criminal and terrorist networks, journalists and critics.” It isn’t immediately clear if the Emirati government has specific surveillance targets in mind.