Whatsapp Users - Beware........

[ToraToraTora]

Possibly this should be in Tech but I felt it worthy of News.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9134309/WhatsApp-users-ABANDON-app-fears-data-shared-Facebook.html
Are you happy to have your data sent to TwitFace? I think I'll look around for an alternative to the very useful WhatsApp. Pity they are doing this really, I think many will jump ship.

[Bobbisox1]

Makes you wonder why they'd want to do this Tora, I most certainly do not want my details shared , I'm not on Twitter anyway

[Ken4155]

Your link says ot does not affect users in UK and Europe, TTT?

[ToraToraTora]

read again ken, UK and Europe will have to agree to it first, sounds like the rest of the world don't even get that choice.

[Smowball]

Ohhhhh, I use WhatsApp all the time!!

[ToraToraTora]

Bobbi, It's clear why they want to do it, so they can add to the already brobdingnagian (like it?) database of info they hold on people and then use that to make connections etc. They must consider it worth losing millions of users.

[dannyk13]

Ken, scroll down to see what users in Europe and UK have to agree to.

[Ken4155]

"For the avoidance of any doubt, it is still the case that WhatsApp does not share European WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve it's products or advertisements.2
"There are no changes to WhatsApp's data sharing practices in the European region (including UK) arising from the updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy."
"WhatsApp is encrypted by default, meaning Facebook will not be able to see the contents of your messages."
Totally not savvy, techy wise, so what am i not seeing?

[dannyk13]

Ken//what am i not seeing?//
Did you read the declaration to be signed by UK and Europe users?

[Maydup]

Realisticly though, what can they get from our Whatsapp chats and photos other than general trends?

[Peter Pedant]

is anyone surprised that Big Data firms share big data er bigly?

[Peter Pedant]

// Realisticly though, what can they get from our Whatsapp chats and photos other than general trends?//

they can with large data sets, tie it to shopping habits, spending habits and how you wd vote ( if you turned up that is)

[ToraToraTora]

ken I see the confusion at the top it says....
"The update, which will be released on February 8, affects WhatsApp users in all countries outside of Europe and the UK, where there are strict data protection laws.

Users in these regions will be required to give their consent for Facebook to access their data, including their phone numbers and information about how they interact with others, in order to continue using the app." - by //Users in these regions// it's unclear whether they mean UK/Europe or the rest.

[THECORBYLOON]

I've not had a message about the change but as I read it, the change affects only communications with businesses on WhatsApp and not personal communications.

I have never used WhatsApp to message a business and as I'm not likely to, I'm not concerned.

[Ken4155]

I don't use it, TTT, but my 3 girls do, and possibly my son. I only read the article because i thought i may need to warn them, but they are also on Twitter, Facebook and, no doubt, many others. They are far more 'tech' savvy than i'll ever be so they'll probably be able to make more sense of it than me.

[jno]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/11/whatsapp-facebook-app-privacy-policy

(for those who don't want to see the 126 ads on the Daily Mail page)

[chelle7272]

As WhatsApp is owned by Facebook I'd assumed this happened anyway.
It's only Business info, not personal messages.
Plenty of other apps to use if you don't like their terms.

[Chinajan]

I use Whatsapp but I don't use Facebook. I should have no concerns then right...?

[ToraToraTora]

if you don't mind all your contacts and behavioural data being sent to Twitface jan then no. I'm still unsure if UK/Europe are effected. Reading the guardian version he makes no distinction anyway. The DM seems ambiguous!

[Chinajan]

Well...same company so they already 'have' that data. Meh.

[Sunk]

Same for Instagram. If you use that, the data and your contacts go into the Facebook ecosystem. Which is why I use neither.
But the biggest stealer of your personal data is Google. Which is why I have started using Ecosia search engine.