When Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014, people were wondering how Facebook would utilise WhatsApp and the data that it amasses from its billions of users all around the globe. Facebook has made some changes to the popular messaging app since its acquisition, such as making it a place to shop rather than just chat with your friends and family. Facebook will also merge WhatsApp with Instagram and Messenger to allow users of all three (separate) services to communicate with each other. But the latest change to the messaging app is one of somewhat draconian nature. Facebook will now mine all the data it collects from WhatsApp, and it's not giving you a choice.

WhatsApp now shares data with FB companies: Accept the changes or lose access | PocketnowThe new WhatsApp privacy policy and terms of service provides information on how the app collects and handles user data.pocketnow.com

Not only will Facebook be collecting this data for its own purposes, but the company will also be sharing that data with other third-parties as well. The scope and reach of Facebook is massive, and there's no telling just how far your data will go. You can read the full terms here if you're so inclined, but be warned, it's a long read.

The biggest issue with this change is that Facebook is no longer giving users the power to opt-out of data sharing. You MUST share your WhatsApp data with Facebook. If you decline, you won't be allowed to use the app any longer. This has prompted some to ask if users will continue using the service or not, while other's have already made their decision.

If you use WhatsApp, how will this affect you? I'm still using it, but only because Malaysians seem incapable of using anything else. Telegram is my main messenger and I use it much more than WhatsApp, but as long as the majority of Malaysians use WhatsApp I might be forced to continue using it too. I did consider quitting cold turkey and forcing anybody who wants to contact me to use Telegram (or e-mail), but is that perhaps too drastic and will it inconvenience me (and others) more? Who knows, but I am really annoyed at being forced to use WhatsApp.

The only surprise is that it took this long.

I think the ones already using it by and large will not even blink clicking that checkbox. Doubt any of them reads or cares about data policy disclosures. What choice do they have?

I wrote about privacy policies and TOS recently on our company blog and in a newsletter and along the way I found a really cool little tool that I didn't know about before.

It's a site called Terms of Service; Didn’t Read, you can find it here: https://tosdr.org. In their words, they are: “a user rights initiative to rate and label website terms & privacy policies, from very good Class A to very bad Class E.”

Facebook and Instagram didn't fare well before this change which is no surprise but some of the others actually are a bit surprising, National Geographic for example is really bad.

Yea many people won't read and won't care about the changes, but with regards to choice there's plenty of alternatives out there. People are just too lazy or too stubborn to try them out.

what are good end to end encrypted alternatives??

Agree, but also many are drawn to the app because of it's wide audience. When it comes to that the choices truly aren't that many, as it would actually imply everyone to have the other app. Especially elderly may have quite a hard time keeping up with all these, so everyone basically 'goes with the (main) flow' for more than just convenience reasons.

it’s a very good app. Lots of users, easy to use and effective. It’s great for so many reasons.

Overseas many news & TV channels tell public to submit stuff via their Whatsapp number. So it's almost like a de facto official app and channel. That's what makes it so powerful and arguably dangerous too.

I'm using Threema:

Threema - Secure and Private MessengerJust like email, instant messaging has become an integral part of everyday work life. Threema Work is the secure and privacy-compliant messaging solution for organizations of all types and sizes. It's used for both internal and external communication by large corporations and small to medium-sized enterprises, government agencies and police forces, hospitals and blue light organizations as well as NGOs and educational institutions.threema.ch

I've been using Signal for quite a while.

Signal Messenger: Speak FreelySay "hello" to a different messaging experience. An unexpected focus on privacy, combined with all of the features you expect.signal.org

There are plenty. Telegram and Signal to name but a couple. All encrypted, and much better with regards to user privacy and data security then any Facebook-owned entity.

it’s a very good app. Lots of users, easy to use and effective. It’s great for so many reasons.

It's not really a good app, and I can list down many reasons why Telegram is better. But like @Dracula said, it isn't a matter of which is better (because WhatsApp will never win that battle), it's merely a case of user base. WhatsApp was first on the scene and has the most users. Everything that came after (like Telegram) is better but has a smaller user base, which gives people reason to hesitate and make the switch. Telegram is still growing though, thanks in large part to WhatsApp's own blunders.

Signal, Telegram See Demand Spike As New WhatsApp Terms Stir DebateSome 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.www.moneycontrol.com

Same here in Malaysia, though many institutes have been making the switch to Telegram. Our Ministry of Health and National Security Council who release daily updates concerning COVID-19 both have Telegram channels with over a million subscribers. Many schools/classes prefer to use Telegram channels for information dissemination. Some houses of worship also use Telegram channels to promote their weekly activities. Slowly but surely, more and more people are using Telegram.

I loaded it onto my phone last night and started using it today. Elon said it was good so....

I’ll try this Signal app for a while and if it’s not good I’ll try Telegram. Downloaded that one too. Thanks to people who provided input.

Here's some final input for you 🤣

Not to argue, but I wouldn't really trust Elon. He did say and do a bunch of dumb things at the beginning of the pandemic. His opinion on what's good or not isn't really that reliable.

Elon Musk is dangerously wrong about the novel coronavirus"The coronavirus panic is dumb"www.theverge.com

How about Edward Snowden, then? He's recommended it for journalists that need encrypted communications.

Main reason?

I agree with much of what you said but I do think he’d know security. In his wheelhouse.

It's just a more all-around messenger app. You can use it on multiple devices, it has cloud sync so you'll never lose your messages, and it offers a bunch of other features that make messaging more practical.

Signal may prioritise security, but as a result of that it's a much more bare bones messenger that lacks some basic utility (like multi-device support and cloud sync that I mentioned earlier).

Appreciate the feedback!