Turkey has been known to use probes to collect data from WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Facebook. In 2018, it was reported that the Turkish government had purchased software from an Israeli company called NSO Group that allowed it to intercept messages and calls on WhatsApp. The software, called Pegasus, was able to exploit a vulnerability in the app and install itself on a user's device without their knowledge, giving the Turkish government access to the user's messages and calls.
This use of probes to collect data from WhatsApp has raised concerns about privacy and government surveillance. WhatsApp has stated that it does not give governments access to its servers or data and that it has worked to fix the vulnerability that was exploited by Pegasus. However, it is not clear how widespread the use of probes to collect data from WhatsApp is in Turkey, or how successful it has been.
Privacy advocates have called on the Turkish government to be more transparent about its use of probes to collect data from WhatsApp and to ensure that it respects the privacy rights of its citizens. It is important for governments to balance the need for security with the need to protect the privacy of their citizens, and to ensure that any surveillance measures are necessary, proportionate, and subject to appropriate oversight.