WhatsApp really wants you to know that it isn’t giving all of your information to Facebook
New WhatsApp updates have people concerned.
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Facebook purchased WhatsApp back in 2014, and while some users were concerned about what that would mean, it wasn’t until 2021 that it came to a head.
With people like Elon Musk prompting people to use Signal for privacy reasons, WhatsApp is scrambling to improve its public perception. This comes after users started looking at what these messaging apps share with the companies that own them. In this case, that would be Facebook.
Some of the information out there is valid, but there is a lot of misinformation being spread that isn’t exactly correct. Now, WhatsApp has released a new blog post hoping to clarify some things for its users regarding a new privacy update.
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 blog post
They also included a helpful graphic that breaks down some of WhatsApp’s privacy features:
The Verge points out that users actually had a chance to opt-out of sharing some data with Facebook back in 2016, but the option was only available for a short period of time.
Some of this new controversy came about due to Apple requiring apps to share information about what data it collects and who it shares it with.
Even with WhatsApp trying to clear up some of the information being spread right now on social media, it’s hard to argue something like Signal wouldn’t be better for privacy. Unlike other options, it is managed by a non-profit and is able to continue through donations.
Have any thoughts on this? Are you planning on switching to something like Signal? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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