Outcry Over WhatsApp’s New Terms and Conditions
Users have abandoned WhatsApp for rivals, Telegram and Signal, following WhatsApp’s release of its most recent Privacy Policy. Many claimed that the new policy would compromise the privacy of users by sharing user data with Facebook, but WhatsApp has since reassured users that the privacy of messages and calls will be ensured.
In light of recent events, WhatsApp has delayed the date for the new policy to come into effect, from February 8 to May 15.
Claims and Counterclaims
Critics claimed that the changes will allow the company to collect data from private conversations and share it with Facebook, WhatsApp’s parent company.
WhatsApp responded by assuring users that
“the policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way…The changes are related to optional business features.”
It also mentioned that “a lot of misinformation” has fueled worry.
Alternative Services
As a consequence of the spread of some misleading claims, several users have looked for other messaging platforms.
Elon Musk endorsed Signal — a chatting service praised as the gold standard for privacy and data security — on his Twitter account. This app saw a 4,200% increase in weekly downloads.
Downloads of Telegram, a similar service, increased by 91%.
Written by Julio Pulido
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