I think a WhatsApp database is analogous to a data file and falls outside the concept of reverse engineering here.
If say Microsoft Word had legalize against reverse-engineering it, a reasonable person wouldn't expect that to apply to reverse-engineering the format of MS Word documents, rather just the program. At the very least, since WhatsApp databases store user data, it should be reasonable to understand their structure in order that users can extract their own data from them reliably. -- Darren Duncan On 2015-06-29 6:42 AM, John McKown wrote: > On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 7:24 AM, <bob_sqlite at web.de> wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> I teach pupils SQL in school. >> >> I want to create exercises about the SQLite database of Whatsapp. >> >> Can you tell me the names of tables and the names of columns? >> >> For the tables, I'll think of data. >> >> Thank you, >> >> Bob >> > > I'm going to go a bit sideways on this, I hope it is not objectionable. > Have you contacted Whatsapp about this? I ask because on their web site at > https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/, it specifically has legalese saying " > (iii) you will not attempt to reverse engineer, alter or modify any part of > the Service;" I am not any kind of a lawyer. But it _might_ be argued > (similar to Oracle vs. Google on the Java API) that the schema of the > SQLite data base is "part of the Service" and that, especially by using it > for teaching purposes, you are "reverse engineering" it. Yes, likely a > extreme position. But IP lawyers can be sharks. Just myself, personally, > I'd contact Whatsapp and simply ask permission, perhaps explaining what you > want to do and why you thought that their DB would be a good teaching > scenario for your students. > > Again, I'm just trying urge caution in today's litigious society. I don't > mean to imply that you are doing anything illegal or immoral (or fattening > <grin/>). > >
