WhatsApp will soon start sharing its data with Facebook as a condition of using the application. This completes a twist that began when Facebook first acquired the app in 2014.
At the time, WhatsApp assured users that their data would remain private and not be shared with Facebook …
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Shortly after WhatsApp was sold to Facebook for $ 19 billion, the messaging app backed up a blog post.
A lot of inaccurate and careless information has also been circulating about what our future partnership would mean for the data and privacy of WhatsApp users. I would like to clarify things […]
Respect for your privacy is encoded in our DNA, and we built WhatsApp in order to know as little about you as possible […] If the partnership with Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldn’t have done that. Instead, we are forming a partnership that will allow us to continue operating independently and autonomously. Our fundamental values and beliefs will not change. Our principles will not change.
The first part of the turnaround came in 2016, when WhatsApp started sharing data with Facebook by default.
By coordinating more with Facebook, we will be able to do things like track basic metrics on how often people use our services and better fight spam on WhatsApp. And by connecting your phone number to Facebook systems, Facebook can offer better suggestions from friends and show more relevant ads if you have an account with them.
At the moment, however, existing users could choose not to share data.
If you are already a user, you can choose not to have your WhatsApp account information shared with Facebook to improve your Facebook ads and product experiences. Existing users who accept our updated Terms and Privacy Policy will have an additional 30 days to make that choice in Settings> Account.
WhatsApp to share your data with Facebook as a condition of use
The upcoming changes to the messaging app’s privacy policy remove the opt-out option as indicated by XDA Developers.
WhatsApp users are receiving a notice in the app today about the new terms of service and privacy policy. The warning, as you can see in the attached image, talks about three important updates that affect how WhatsApp processes your data, how companies can use Facebook-hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats, and how WhatsApp will soon partner with Facebook to offer deeper integrations in all of the latter’s products. In addition, it reveals that these changes will take effect on February 8, and users will have no choice but to accept them if they want to continue using WhatsApp.
Among other things, your data will now be used to show personalized ads.
Improve your services and experiences when using them, how to make suggestions to you (for example, from friends or group connections, or interesting content), personalize features and content, help you complete purchases and transactions, and show offers and ads relevant to the company’s Facebook products.
You can read the full details here.
WhatsApp, however, uses end-to-end encryption for all messages – text, voice and video – so it cannot see or use the content of your messages or calls. Update: The new privacy policy also does not apply in Europe due to the stronger privacy legislation there.
The news follows an article that highlights the vastly different amounts of information linked to users’ identities by four messaging apps: Signal, iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. This was revealed by Apple, requiring applications to disclose the personal data they collect, and to specify the ways in which they are used.
Photo: Rachit Tank on Unsplash
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