What data WhatsApp might collect?
This is the list of things which aren’t encrypted and are still useful for WhatsApp to collect for “business purposes”.
These are just my thoughts. Complete brainstorming and please don’t be scared.
Time when a person is online :-
At what time a person comes online and the related pattern can reveal a good information about the person’s daily habit.
WhatsApp About(previously Status) and DP (Display Picture) :-
WhatsApp about and DP can also be used to know the current mood/psychological state of the person. Though, it won’t be that accurate but still useful in certain cases.
WhatsApp Status and Status Text :-
This can be easily used by WhatsApp to know the current events happening in user’s life since these are still non-encrypted.
Blocked Contacts :-
This data can be used to know the relation between two person and can be used to reflect the result in news feed of Facebook. Like if I’ve blocked someone on WhatsApp I might see his/her feeds less frequently on Facebook.
Group Names and Group Description and how one person is connected to other via group:-
This data gives too much insight into a user’s life. Like how he/she is connected to other person in real life. We generally have WhatsApp group for friends of schools, colleges, family and neighbors. We also have whatsapp group of organisation for which we work, so it becomes easy for WhatsApp to find the relationship between two users and also WhatsApp group name becomes kind of label to that relationship (friend, family or co-worker).
Chat Metadata :-
If you chat with someone too frequently WhatsApp can still know that while keeping your chats encrypted. What type of media files you share can also lead to better understanding. These can be again used with Facebook or Instagram account to show you stories from close friends first and then from other persons.
WhatsApp Call Data :-
I am not much sure, but this can be used again to judge the level of engagement with other person.
Most Close Friends
WhatsApp can easily know with whom I chat frequently, so it can easily form my image based on my friends, so by a simple assumption whatever my friends like, I will like it too, most probably. And this can be used to show ads on Facebook or Instagram.
Emoji History :-
What are your recent emojis can tell a lot about the type of chat you do.
GIF search history :-
WhatsApp for android has feature by which you can send GIF directly during chat. So by collecting the search history of GIF during a chat WhatsApp can easily guess the type (or semantic) of chat we are having with other person.
Metadata of Images and other files :-
Not much useful, but still can be used to know the files and types of data we are sending to other person. WhatsApp compresses images, so it’s easy for him to scrap the metadata too.
Thanks for reading :)
I will try to keep this article updated with new thoughts and responses which I’ll get.
(In case you want a better chat app try “Signal”. Not promoting it here, but I think it’s good alternative but not useful since most of the people are hooked on whatsapp.)
Cya ;)
