WhatsApp is attempting to clarify changes to its privacy policy after
immense backlash. The Facebook-owned messaging service has
<https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/security-and-privacy/answering-your-questi
ons-about-whatsapps-privacy-policy/> published a new FAQ page to its
website, saying that the changes going into effect on February 8 only affect
businesses who use WhatsApp, not individual users.
Last week, a
<https://9to5mac.com/2021/01/06/whatsapp-share-your-data-with-facebook/>
report suggested that WhatsApp would share user data with Facebook, without
giving users a choice. In 2016, WhatsApp began sharing data with Facebook by
default, but users still had the ability to opt out. The reports were based
on changes WhatsApp had made to its privacy policy.
According to WhatsApp, this change actually doesn't affect user messaging.
Instead, it includes changes related to when you message a business using
WhatsApp - something the company points out is completely optional.
We want to be clear that the policy update does not affect the privacy of
your messages with friends or family in any way. Instead, this update
includes changes related to messaging a business on WhatsApp, which is
optional, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use
data.
WhatsApp goes on to explain:
Messaging with businesses is different than messaging with your family or
friends. Some large businesses need to use hosting services to manage their
communication. Which is why we're giving businesses the option to use secure
hosting services from Facebook to manage WhatsApp chats with their
customers, answer questions, and send helpful information like purchase
receipts.
Ultimately, this means that communication on WhatsApp between friends and
family should be unaffected by the privacy changes going into effect on
February 8. For WhatsApp, however, some damage might already be done in
terms of the competition.
Since the WhatsApp privacy policy changes were reported last week, Signal
has seen an immense amount of growth. New data from
<https://appfigures.com/resources/insights/whatsapp-exodus-signal-telegram>
Appfigures indicates that between Thursday and Sunday, Signal added a
whopping 4.6 million new users.
Signal also received an endorsement from Elon Musk, which caused another
spike in downloads for the messaging app (and
<https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/11/signal-advance-jumps-another-438percent-aft
er-elon-musk-fueled-buying-frenzy.html> caused an unrelated stock to
<https://join.robinhood.com/chancem26> soar by over 11,000%).
Furthermore, Appfigures data shows that Telegram added over 5 million new
users in the days following WhatsApp privacy concerns.
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