Whatsapp to share user data with the parent company - Facebook
As Whatsapp, messaging app, was bought by Facebook in 2014, users started to fear their private information would be shared with Facebook. Since 2016, Whatsapp allowed data sharing with Facebook, but only upon user consent. From May 2021, users will have two options: agree on data sharing with Facebook or stop using Whatsapp altogether. The company’s decision evoked outrage around the world, raising concerns about data privacy. Although Whatsapp messages are encrypted and Facebook would not access content of our private information, it would know the names of people we contact and frequency of our message conversations. The policy change was controversial enough to become an international problem: the Indian government asked WhatsApp to withdraw the changes in the privacy policy and the U.K. data protection regulator voiced concern over the app’s data sharing with Facebook. The company claims that new changes will not come into force in the EU and U.K, since European data privacy policies are stricter than anywhere else, but many users are concerned about privacy of their data and consider switching to rival messaging apps, such as Telegram and Signal.
Sources:
- https://www.tomsguide.com/news/whatsapp-privacy-disaster-under-scrutiny-heres-what-you-need-to-know
- https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/79-users-reconsidering-using-whatsapp-due-privacy-policy-update-142420
