New whatsapp privacy policy - what does it mean for users

[oldmonk]

Mostly make ads more personalized based on what they can analyse. Which does not sound so scary to me

Came across this article...do look through it

One is free of course to draw their own inference.

 

[drkrack]

This Aptly describes the updated WhatsApp Privacy Policy.
BTW, what's the Definition of Spyware, post Feb 8th does WhatsApp fit into that definition?

 

[OM_2K19]

The Signal messaging app, looks promising. They don't collect anything but your phone no. Additionally, the encryption key resides within your phone unlike other messaging app where they hold the encryption key.

 

[sud98]

In messaging, Signal is good. In browsers, Duck Duck Go is very good.

Although Whatsapp has clarified that the data share is limited to Business Accounts and not to personal accounts. Not sure if people can still trust them.

 

[OM_2K19]

Although Whatsapp has clarified that the data share is limited to Business Accounts and not to personal accounts. Not sure if people can still trust them.

I think they are lying, the other day I reset my phone and when I reinstalled whatsapp back, they forced me to accept the new privacy policy.

Privacy Policy

WhatsApp Messenger: More than 2 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends and family, anytime and anywhere. WhatsApp is free and offers simple, secure, reliable messaging and calling, available on phones all over the world.

www.whatsapp.com

Moreover, I don't see anything in their office privacy policy page that it applies only to businesses users, not sure if I am missing to read between the lines. Once credibility is lost, it's lost forever.

 

[Nitin K]

Nobody is indispensible. If the respective groups and individuals take a decision to shift to another app like Telegram, Signal or Discord then it is possible. There will be a lot of inconvenience in the beginning especially for business dealings done through Whatsapp. But later things will iron out till the app owners won't have any commercial interest which eventually happens otherwise with most of the apps
There is no such thing as a free lunch. It's all give n take.

 

[drkrack]

I think they are lying, the other day I reset my phone and when I reinstalled whatsapp back, they forced me to accept the new privacy policy.

Yes they're lying, they'll be coming back to their agenda even if they concede now. Its going to be detrimental for WhatsApp, in an appeal all Tech majors are moving Signal!
They Could have made it a Paid app, They chose to steal people's data instead!

Glad to see Overwhelming Response against this nefarious activity.

India's tech chiefs follow Musk, signal move away from WhatsApp

Prominent members of the Indian startup ecosystem including PhonePe's Sameer Nigam and Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma took to Twitter to announce their migration from personal and professional groups in WhatsApp to Signal.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[arj]

Ill wait for time and wisdom to settle before taking any action.Google anyway has way more information about me than FB and there is nothing i can do

 

[sud98]

Right now, all our data is being shared. For example, in this forum the ads are powered by the data that is shared by this forum. In the same way, gmail is the prime example of farming user data. So if we are using a free app, ads would be the only way to monetize the information. Whether we like it or not.

 

[arj]

They Could have made it a Paid app, They chose to steal people's data instead!

Everybody "steals" data..not to mention the telcos who have such rich location and usage data. The majority would prefer a free app and give the data than pay for the service
I doubt if Whatsapp is going to suffer much and my guess is that only a small % will move out.

 

[OM_2K19]

If You're Not Paying For It, You Become The Product​

 

[OM_2K19]

I doubt if Whatsapp is going to suffer much and my guess is that only a small % will move out.

They already started feeling the heat, public sentiment is against them. The amount of data they collect, it's simply ridiculous and they were sharing this information with FB for years.

 

[Mayank Shah]

Windoze 10 itself is not secure. Lot of decent apps/ software for monitoring/ blocking network requests. But all the processes are interlinked. So blocking one will cause the other to stop working or behave funnily. So bottom line, you are screwed the moment you are online. Cyber law reporting and enforcement in India is another story. We will just have to live with or without it. Truth is we all have or becoming slaves to technology and there is no escaping it for most atleast.

 

[MaSh]

All said, means one thing. Signal became an over night sensation. I was not even aware of it till a few days ago. Just like Zoom. I know one thing only, that when I connect to the internet, my details are captured and used somewhere. Its Upto ME what details, pictures, information I share over chat and other portals.

Everybody "steals" data..not to mention the telcos who have such rich location and usage data. The majority would prefer a free app and give the data than pay for the service
I doubt if Whatsapp is going to suffer much and my guess is that only a small % will move out.

Spot on. Majority of the people pick a couple of key words, interpret in their own way, get influenced by the media and jump to conclusions. I prefer to stick to a Major player whose constantly under the lens rather than move to a new system I had not even heard till a few days ago.

There are no Free Lunches in the Internet world.

MaSh

 

[Nitin K]

Ill wait for time and wisdom to settle before taking any action.Google anyway has way more information about me than FB and there is nothing i can do

Totally agree with you Sir. Even the companies owning the major operating systems and antivirus may be having a lot more data about us than Whatsapp. It's better to wait and then act accordingly.
Life will be normal when the dust settles down until the breeze blows again.