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Metadata
Tracking
It's like the envelope of a letter — it shows who sent it, who got it, and when, but not what’s inside.
Definition
Metadata is information about your communication — like who you talked to, when, and how often — not the content itself.
In plain English
It's like the envelope of a letter — it shows who sent it, who got it, and when, but not what’s inside.
Why this matters
Even if your messages are encrypted, metadata can reveal patterns about your life and relationships.
Example
WhatsApp uses E2EE, but still logs metadata like your contacts and the times you message them.