Whatsapp's privacy policies hold a very high standard when it comes to protecting its users' private chats, media. There are some lines available in the privacy policy that says-
"Respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA. Since we started Whatsapp, we've aspired to build our Services with a set of strong privacy principles in mind".
2021 is a year of change. At least it seems to be the case for Whatsapp. It is changing its policy and it is taking an awful turn.
On 6th January 2021, all the Indian Whatsapp users have seen a new update regarding the policy change upon opening their Whatsapp account. WhatsApp usually updates the user privacy and data collection policy from time to time. So why this is so 'important' in a dangerous way?
The new Whatsapp policy update implies the changes such as - "how businesses can use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats," and "how we partner with Facebook to offer integrations across the Facebook Company Products."
This is just an oversimplified statement. Whatever lies underneath is the real deal. Whatsapp is mandating data sharing with third-party businesses from now on. This is an obligatory clause in the privacy section which further goes on stating that "The information we share with the other Facebook Companies includes your account registration information (such as your phone number), transaction data, service-related information, information on how you interact with others (including businesses) when using our Services, mobile device information, your IP address, and may include other information identified in the Privacy Policy section entitled ‘Information We Collect' or obtained upon notice to you or based on your consent,".
This is a huge change. If you accept these changes (you have to after 8th February 2021) then Whatsapp will "collect" metadata of chat data, IP addresses, location, language and so much more. This metadata then will be sold to the highest bidders cracking a once-in-lifetime deal for Facebook. Just think about how this affects your daily life! Seeing targeted ads on websites about the things you have just talked about with your wife will be a new experience.
Facebook is becoming irrelevant day by day. The number of Facebook users is dwindling down on a financial quarter basis. Facebook's number of daily active users in the US and Canada declined by 2 million for the third quarter, dropping to 196 million from 198 million in the second quarter of 2020. This is a long-awaited move by Facebook that was ensured when it purchased Whatsapp for $16 billion dollars back in 2014. Finally, just like FB, Whatsapp has decided to 'sell' itself to the salesmen.
2 point encryption has become a joke. If you don't accept the updated clauses by February 8, 2021, you will be kicked out of the system.
Just wait a while when Whatsapp shows up with newer policies that allow them to show ads in between chats. The day is not that far.
