WhatsApp
will shortly start to share your data with
Facebook
as a condition of use of the app. This completes a U-turn which began when
Facebook first acquired the app back in 2014.
At the time, WhatsApp assured users that their data would remain private,
and not be shared with Facebook .
Background
Shortly after
WhatsApp was sold to Facebook for $19B,
the messaging app gave the reassurance in
a blog post.
block quote
There has also been a lot of inaccurate and careless information circulating
about what our future partnership would mean for WhatsApp users' data and
privacy. I'd like to set the record straight [.]
Respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA, and we built WhatsApp around
the goal of knowing as little about you as possible [.] If partnering with
Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldn't have done it.
Instead, we are forming a partnership that would allow us to continue
operating
independently and autonomously. Our fundamental values and beliefs will not
change. Our principles will not change.
block quote end
The first part of the U-turn came in 2016, when
WhatsApp began sharing data with Facebook
by default.
block quote
By coordinating more with Facebook, we'll be able to do things like track
basic metrics about how often people use our services and better fight spam
on
WhatsApp. And by connecting your phone number with Facebook's systems,
Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads
if you
have an account with them.
block quote end
At the time, however, existing users
could opt out
of the data sharing.
block quote
If you are an existing user, you can choose not to have your WhatsApp
account information shared with Facebook to improve your Facebook ads and
products
experiences. Existing users who accept our updated Terms and Privacy Policy
will have an additional 30 days to make this choice by going to Settings >
Account.
block quote end
WhatsApp to share your data with Facebook as condition of use
Upcoming changes to the messaging app's privacy policy remove the opt-out
option, as spotted by
XDA-Developers.
block quote
WhatsApp users are receiving an in-app notice today regarding the service's
new terms and privacy policy. The notice, talks about three key updates that
affect how WhatsApp processes your data, how businesses can use Facebook
hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp
chats, and how WhatsApp will soon partner with Facebook to offer deeper
integrations across all of the latter's products. It further reveals that
these
changes will go into effect on February 8th, and users will have no choice
but to accept these changes if they wish to continue using WhatsApp.
block quote end
===========================================================
The fb-exchange mailing list
Manage account,
List Page: https://www.freelists.org/list/fb-exchange
Subscribe: mailto:fb-exchange-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=subscribe
Unsubscribe: mailto:fb-exchange-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=unsubscribe
Archive: https://www.freelists.org/archive/fb-exchange
Administrative contact: insight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
===========================================================
