As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp is forcing its users outside of the EU to agree to share their information with Facebook starting early February 2021 with its new privacy policy. After WhatsApp announced its new privacy policy, a discussion about WhatsApp users’ concerns about their privacy has been started.
Automatically collects information
WhatsApp is automatically collecting information including usage and log information, device and connection information, location, and cookies. In the new privacy policy, the company explained the sharing with third-party information, saying,
“We work with third-party service providers and other Facebook Companies to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services. For example, we work with them to distribute our apps; provide our technical and physical infrastructure, delivery, and other systems; provide engineering support, cybersecurity support, and operational support; supply location, map, and places information; process payments; help us understand how people use our Services; market our Services; help you connect with businesses using our Services; conduct surveys and research for us; ensure safety, security and integrity; and help with customer service.”
Users will no longer be able to keep using the app unless they assent to the new rules. Under the how we work with other Facebook Companies topic in the new privacy policy, it is written,
“WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information (see here) with, the other Facebook Companies. We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services and their offerings, including the Facebook Company Products.”
Sharing information with other Facebook companies
So, this policy allows parent company Facebook to read data such as your mobile number, IP address, and other identifiers to be able to serve them more personalized ads. By accepting this new privacy policy, WhatsApp users’ information can be shared with Facebook, and how any shared information might be used.
A company spokesperson talked about the privacy concerns of its user, saying,
“While most people use WhatsApp to chat with friends and family, increasingly people are reaching out to businesses as well. We updated the privacy policy to describe that, going forward, businesses can choose to receive secure hosting services from our parent company Facebook to help manage their customers on WhatsApp.”
With the discussion of data privacy on WhatsApp, users are looking for an alternative messaging app like Telegram Messenger, Signal. There are also local online messaging apps like BIP in Turkey.
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