WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy is causing quite a stir out there. The platform’s new terms of service that go live in February ask users to allow parent Facebook to share their personal data with its subsidiaries. What’s shocking to many is the extent of data being shared, including phone numbers, IP addresses, and other personal identifiers.
While folks in the EU will be able to opt out of the new privacy norms, WhatsApp users in the rest of the world will need to comply in order to continue using the service after February 8. Ad targeting seems to be the ultimate goal of these revised terms, even though Facebook says that most of the sharing is meant to improve integration and safety across its products.
In the wake of these developments, many companies are reportedly advising their employees to ditch WhatsApp for work-related communications. A traders body in India, WhatsApp’s largest market, is also calling for government intervention to restrict the new terms from going into effect.
Meanwhile, rival platforms like Signal and Telegram are seeing a spike in demand by those looking for a more private messaging experience.
That said, WhatsApp’s popularity is undeniable and it’s not that easy to jump ship. So we wanted to ask you about your thoughts on the whole scenario. What do you think of WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy? Tell us your stance by selecting one of the options in the poll below.
Loading pollWant to express your opinion in more detail? Drop us a line in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to include your thoughts in our results post.
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