WhatsApp has recently updated its new terms and policies, which will be in function from 8 February 2021. The WhatsApp messenger is asking its users to either agree to the new terms and conditions or delete their WhatsApp account. That is, if the users aren’t comfortable with the new WhatsApp Privacy policy, then they are advised to leave the platform.
Daily Tactics Guru will talk about the new policy of WhatsApp here but before that, let’s get to know about the founder of WhatsApp and its relation with Facebook.
WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF WHATSAPP?
Brian Acton and Jan Koum, the former employees of Yahoo! are the founders of WhatsApp messenger. They established WhatsApp Inc. in Mount View, California, the USA in February 2009.
WHEN DID FACEBOOK ACQUIRE WHATSAPP?
WhatsApp became a subsidiary of Facebook, Inc. owned by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2014.
It was the largest acquisition, till that time of 19 billion US Dollars.
On 10 November 2016, WhatsApp introduced two-step verification for the protection of their user’s accounts through their email address. Also, in 2016 itself, WhatsApp introduced a video call feature.
Whatsapp also introduced a new status feature like Facebook and Snapchat in February 2017 to make the app more user-friendly.
ALLEGATIONS BY EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN FACEBOOK FOR DATA BREACH THROUGH WHATSAPP
In May 2017, the Commission alleged that Facebook falsely claimed that it would be impossible to share or combine information and data of the users from WhatsApp and Facebook.
Facebook, the Parent Company of WhatsApp acknowledged the fact mentioned in the allegation but there were unintentional errors in the 2014 filings during the acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook.
IS WHATSAPP FOUNDER, BRYAN ACTON ALSO THE FOUNDER OF SIGNAL?
In September 2017, Brian Acton started a new non-profit group, Signal Foundation after leaving WhatsApp Inc. Signal nowadays is giving tough competition to WhatsApp and Telegram.
WHAT IS WHATSAPP BUSINESS?
In order to give support to small businesses and startups, WhatsApp introduced Business WhatsApp in January 2018.
WHAT IS APPLE VERSUS FACEBOOK?
WhatsApp announced in December 2019, that only the latest versions of Apple Phones can now use WhatsApp. The new update would lock out any iPhone users to use WhatsApp, whose Apple phone is not updated to iOS 9.0 or higher.
Other Mobile Companies like Samsung, Sony, and Huawei also need to update their mobile versions to 4.0 by February 2020.
WHY NEW WHATSAPP PRIVACY POLICY UPDATE 2021?
Facebook Inc. is planning to integrate services provided by Facebook like Facebook messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012. Instagram and Facebook are already integrated but now Mark Zuckerberg also wants to integrate WhatsApp along with them.
WhatsApp has now also been updated which includes WhatsApp payment options and the information related to the accounts or payments and transactions may also be shared with Facebook.
This new WhatsApp Privacy Policy may also be rolled out to pre-empt the previous antitrust case. The US Federal Trade Commission and others are demanding Facebook to de-link Instagram and WhatsApp from Facebook. But the Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg is all set for the Integration at any cost.
HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE GENERAL PUBLIC?
It is going to impact the privacy of people. Both WhatsApp and Facebook hold some data about their users. They contain your data in different silos but if they get integrated, the company knows more about you than you think and more than what is required.
The Parent Company would know everything about a particular person with a particular phone number, starting from the account information to the location to the Facebook or Instagram account it is using.
If you use WhatsApp Payments, your card details, and bank account information, transactions will also be shared with Facebook.
Facebook can also compare your information on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, and utilize it accordingly.
WHAT DATA CAN WHATSAPP SHARE TO FACEBOOK?
According to the new WhatsApp Privacy policy, it will collect users’ activity status for diagnostic and service-related purposes along with the performance information. It will also include WhatsApp service settings, user interactions, duration and frequency of activities and call logs, contacts, etc.
The data will also include device and connection-specific information like your phone model, browser used by your phone, IP address of your phone, battery status, signal strength, and app version, etc.
WHY THERE IS A NEED TO WORRY?
As I told you, these apps work on different silos and until they are kept separate, there is no harm to the user. But if due to the integration, the different silos interact with each other. There is a huge lot of information to share. It would reveal everything about the personal, professional, and social aspects of your life.
Facebook may also know everything about the minors as well because most of the School coordination in countries like India also occurs through WhatsApp.
IS THE WHATSAPP CHAT ENCRYPTION A LIE?
Your Chats are still end to end encrypted and away from the reach of any third party. But this data sharing probably lead to leakages.
DO I HAVE TO DELETE WHATSAPP ACCOUNT IF I DON’T AGREE TO THE NEW POLICY?
WhatsApp or we may say now, Facebook has given only two options to its users, either to agree to the new terms and conditions or leave the WhatsApp platform.
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO REPLACE WHATSAPP IN OUR PHONES?
The signal may be the best option, as for now. Telegram is also in competition but everyone knows about its Russian origin.
You can shift to another app in a few minutes but the real struggle is to persuade your family and friends to shift as well.
For further information about the Signal app, check out another article on Daily Tactics Guru.
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Till then..
Stay Happy and Stay Safe…