It’s no secret that personal data is shared with online platforms these days. Most of them collect this data to ensure better services for users and to help improve, customize, or launch new services. But what happens if an app known for its “end-to-end” encryption starts sharing more personal data with Facebook in an inappropriate manner?
WhatsApp—one of the most popular multi-platform apps, used by approximately 2 billion people—is introducing changes to its privacy policy. Starting February 8, 2021, it will also share the personal data of users outside the European Union and the United Kingdom with its parent company, Facebook. In addition to phone numbers and device locations, this data will also include interactions between the devices themselves.
It is nearly impossible to decline WhatsApp’s request to share additional data with the Facebook social platform. Android users are presented with the option to “allow” or “postpone,” while iOS users must agree to the changes or they will not be able to dismiss the notification.
Slovak users are not at risk of having their data shared with Facebook
Users in the EU and the UK will avoid having their data shared with Facebook this time around, but they certainly won’t avoid the collection of a larger amount of data within the WhatsApp app. This is also one of the updated privacy terms.
The Signal app is being touted as a replacement for WhatsApp, and it’s also recommended by Slovak ethical hackers. According to them, Signal’s approach to security and privacy is unique. The international monthly magazine Wired also writes about why users should choose Signal over the messaging apps they’ve used so far.
Unlike WhatsApp, Signal has stated that it accesses only one piece of data: the user’s phone number. It also offers a “disappearing messages” feature—messages that are automatically deleted from the app after a set period of time (ranging from a minimum of 5 seconds to a maximum of 1 week). This form of data protection is also part of the WhatsApp app, though it is currently only in the testing phase.
Other advantages include encrypted profiles and an incognito “toggle” for the Android version. Incognito mode ensures that users’ messages are not sent back to Google.
Which app users choose to use online is entirely up to them. However, from a data protection perspective, Facebook has faced numerous incidents and legal disputes in the past for failing to respect user privacy or mishandling their personal data. It remains important for users to first verify the protection of their personal data against processing for the purposes stated by the app before installing any app.
