WhatsApp is forcing users to share data with Facebook, unless you're living in the EU

[zipping]

https://www.techspot.com/news/88207-whatsapp-forcing-users-share-data-facebook-unless-youre.html

 

WhatsApp is forcing users to share data with Facebook, unless you're living in the EU

Surrender your personal data, or else

By Adrian Potoroaca, on January 7, 2021, 9:07 PM 15 comments

 

What just happened? Apple's latest iOS privacy update is pushing companies like Facebook into fight of flight mode. This is why WhatsApp has decided to impose a new policy on its users if they want to continue using the service, with the exception of people who live in the EU.

This week, Facebook-owned WhatsApp started giving users a pop-up alert that looks a lot like an ultimatum for people who want to continue using the app. Essentially, it says that people need to agree to new terms of service by February 8 or risk losing access to your WhatsApp next month.

The revamped set of requirements is also a reversal on a one-time decision in 2016 that allowed users to opt out of having their account data turned over to Facebook. This includes phone numbers, friends' phone numbers, profile names and pictures, status messages and activity status, as well as detailed diagnostic data from app logs. However, the new policy means Facebook reserves the right to share the data collected within its family of online platforms.

Furthermore, there will be cases where Facebook decides to share that data with third parties, which has privacy groups riled up again. The move is in response to Apple's new privacy labels on iOS 14, which highlight all the different ways certain free apps collect information about their users. This was particularly revealing for the Facebook family of apps, which happens to have the most extensive list of all.

It shouldn't come as a big surprise that Facebook is so adamant in collecting all that metadata, as the company makes most of its revenue from advertising. Last month, it plunged into a public image feud with Apple using several newspaper ads, but their effect has yet to produce any results. As for the Cupertino company, they say they're simply encouraging app makers to be more forthcoming with how they monetize their apps.

When WhatsApp's in-app alert hit the first users, some speculated that it would spark regulatory scrutiny in the EU, which is known for having stricter privacy rules. However, WhatsApp's Irish subsidiary said in a statement today that while European users are shown the same prompt to agree to the revamped privacy policy, in their case it doesn't include sharing that data with Facebook's other online platforms or third parties.

A WhatsApp spokeswoman explained "there are no changes to WhatsApp’s data sharing practices in the European region arising from the updated terms of service and privacy policy. For the avoidance of any doubt, it is still the case that WhatsApp does not share European region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or advertisements." This was further confirmed by the company's director of policy for the EMEA region, Niamh Sweeney.

The fact still remains that users outside the EU have to agree to a higher degree of data sharing, stressing the need for tougher privacy regulation in the United States, as well as other regions with permissive environments. In the meantime, smaller iOS developers are getting creative with how they subvert Apple's privacy update for iOS users.

15 comments 342 interactions

Edited January 8, 2021 by zipping

[Kb27]

People are talking about being pushed out.

Try Telegram, it's quite popular.

Eventually, you don't need Whatsapp. what app ?

[Volvobrick]

Need a good competition... Alternative is share data with Chinese Int and switch to WeChat! 

[Inlinefour]

sms rocks 😜😜😜

[Hamburger]

Zero info on FB. 

Matters me not. 

[Blueray]

Signal, Telegram see demand spike as new WhatsApp terms stir debate

Quote

REUTERS: Signal and Telegram messaging apps are seeing a sudden increase in demand after larger rival WhatsApp's updated terms of service raised eyebrows on social media.

WhatsApp, which uses Signal's encryption technology, laid out fresh terms on Wednesday, asking users to agree to let owner Facebook Inc and its subsidiaries collect user data, including their phone number and location.

Some privacy activists questioned the "accept our data grab or get out" move on Twitter, and suggested users to switch to apps like Signal and Telegram.

Signal's popularity shot up further on Thursday after it was endorsed by Elon Musk, who has one of the most-followed accounts on Twitter, and by the micro-blogging site's top boss Jack Dorsey.

More than 100,000 users installed Signal across the app stores of Apple and Google in the last two days, while Telegram picked up nearly 2.2 million downloads, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/signal--telegram-see-demand-spike-as-new-whatsapp-terms-stir-debate-13922120

[Voodooman]

If I type "sex" 10 times in my various WhatsApp chat groups over a span of 5 days, will the advert of Orh quee tow, Lor 18 or 20, appears on my FB feed and those of my chat kakis? 

[Kopites]

I didn't receive any newly TnC from WhatsApp.🤔

[Voodooman]

14 hours ago, Kb27 said:

People are talking about being pushed out.

Try Telegram, it's quite popular.

Eventually, you don't need Whatsapp. what app ?

Between FB and WhatsApp, to terminate FB is easier. Not easy to migrate WhatsApp as half the world is using it. 

[Kopites]

1 hour ago, Voodooman said:

Between FB and WhatsApp, to terminate FB is easier. Not easy to migrate WhatsApp as half the world is using it. 

I just installed telegram and signal.

On telegram half of my contacts show up but many with "last seen a long time ago".

On signal only me and another mate contact in hk..two persons!😭

[Tohto]

8 hours ago, Hamburger said:

Zero info on FB. 

Matters me not. 

Same same. 

[inlinesix]

46 minutes ago, Kopites said:

I just installed telegram and signal.

On telegram half of my contacts show up but many with "last seen a long time ago".

On signal only me and another mate contact in hk..two persons!😭

A lot of spammer on TG now.

[Blueray]

my FB is dormant, so no impact to me.

anyways, FB is for old people ... 

[bsswan]

On 1/9/2021 at 10:09 AM, Hamburger said:

Zero info on FB. 

Matters me not. 

I don't think that is the problem so much......FB will be able to scan through your phone's contacts and link you to all of THEM that have FB accounts, friends and business(es). FB will put a spiders web type network together with everybody's contacts that now will include all of us without a FB account (I don't).

[inlinesix]

On 1/9/2021 at 8:55 PM, Blueray said:

my FB is dormant, so no impact to me.

anyways, FB is for old people ... 

Teenager uses Tik Tok.

[Kb27]

56 minutes ago, bsswan said:

I don't think that is the problem so much......FB will be able to scan through your phone's contacts and link you to all of THEM that have FB accounts, friends and business(es). FB will put a spiders web type network together with everybody's contacts that now will include all of us without a FB account (I don't).

FB is more interested in selling ads, that's why they want all the data from whatsapp.

[inlinesix]

1 minute ago, Kb27 said:

FB is more interested in selling ads, that's why they want all the data from whatsapp.

That's why FB is a good tool for merchants.

[Blueray]

1 hour ago, inlinesix said:

Teenager uses Tik Tok.

actually FB numbers are on the decline in the US right ? not sure about the rest of the world ....