WhatsApp updates Terms and Privacy, for Targeted Ads

[Ink]

WhatsApp Blog: Looking ahead for WhatsApp - WhatsApp Blog

"Today, we’re updating WhatsApp’s terms and privacy policy for the first time in four years, as part of our plans to test ways for people to communicate with businesses in the months ahead. The updated documents also reflect that we’ve joined Facebook and that we've recently rolled out many new features, like end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp Calling, and messaging tools like WhatsApp for web and desktop. You can read the full documents here."​

WhatsApp to give users' phone numbers to Facebook for targeted ads

"Mobile messaging service WhatsApp will give its parent company Facebook personal information including users’ phone numbers, as part of plans to allow businesses to send messages to users.

WhatsApp’s billion-plus users will be notified of the change to its privacy policy from 25 August. They will have 30 days to decide whether to opt out of their information being used for ad targeting on Facebook, but will not be able to opt out of their data being sharing with the social network.

The ad targeting will be on Facebook’s platform, which has 1.71 billion monthly active users, with WhatsApp saying it won’t put banner ads or allow spam on its own platform."​

Via TheGuardian: Looking ahead for WhatsApp - WhatsApp Blog

 

[yigido]

I am looking for alternatives right now and Signal is the great one. But it is not well known, so it will be useless.

Lets wait for Google Allo. I hope they will have better opt-out privacy options.
On Whatsapp even you opt-out this option, Facebook still get information from you. So opt-out is useless within 30 days.

 

[Balrog]

Telegram works great.

 

[Jack]

Users can opt out WhatsApp sharing info to Facebook

In a blog post, WhatsApp announced that it will be sharing user phone numbers with Facebook, including separate numbers. The measure was taken in order to enable more targeted advertising on the network and fight spam.

The blog post explains how WhatsApp will go about this new measure. Specifically, if both Facebook and WhatsApp are installed on the same device, then Facebook will be granted permission to pull up phone numbers associated with WhatsApp through the device identifier.

Because this measure would pose some security and privacy concerns, WhatsApp also announced that it updated its term and privacy policy. This is the first update that the terms and privacy policy gets in four years. WhatsApp will soon export data to Facebook, so that it could capitalize on some revenue that would advertise to users.

With this measure, WhatsApp would avoid third-party banner ads and spam. WhatsApp clearly stated that this measure wouldn't affect the privacy of content that users share, as it integrated the Signal messaging protocol and messages are protected with end-to-end encryption.

WhatsApp also mentioned that “We won’t post or share your WhatsApp number with others, including on Facebook, and we still won't sell, share, or give your phone number to advertisers.” The coordination with Facebook, would allow the messaging app to track basic metrics on how often people use their services and fight spam. In addition, Facebook will be able to offer better friend suggestions and show relevant ads to users.


Read more: WhatsApp to Share User Phone Number with Facebook For Advertising

 

[frogboy]

This does not seem right at all it should be your decision and yours only as to who has access to your phone number.

 

[Jack]

This does not seem right at all it should be your decision and yours only as to who has access to your phone number.

In the last part of the article there are more details on how the users can opt-out

Spoiler

WhatsApp gives users 30 days to opt out from sharing their number with Facebook

This announcement will surely annoy some users, as WhatsApp is known as one of the applications that are committed to user privacy, in such a way that it even caused issues with law enforcement in Brazil, as the app was temporarily banned in July.

There is a way to opt out WhatsApp from sharing user information with Facebook. When users are presented with the new terms and conditions in the updated WhatsApp, they simply need to tap on Read and not Agree. A box at the bottom of the screen asks users permission to share information with Facebook. They simply need to uncheck it.

If users agreed to the measure, they simply need to go to Settings, then Account and uncheck the box that says Share my account info. This needs to be done in 30 days time after agreeing with the new measure.

And while it all looks good and for the more advanced users it will be easy to opt-out, I'm pretty sure that the majority of the people (the happy clickers) will just click OK and be done with it. And if you will ask them at some point if they known that Facebook is using their Whatsapp data they will be outraged. I do think that Facebook is basically counting on the fact that the people are not reading the TOS, as I cannot imagine why would you want to connect Facebook with Whatsapp ...for advertising purposes.

 

[frogboy]

In the last part of the article there are more details on how the users can opt-out

Spoiler

WhatsApp gives users 30 days to opt out from sharing their number with Facebook

This announcement will surely annoy some users, as WhatsApp is known as one of the applications that are committed to user privacy, in such a way that it even caused issues with law enforcement in Brazil, as the app was temporarily banned in July.

There is a way to opt out WhatsApp from sharing user information with Facebook. When users are presented with the new terms and conditions in the updated WhatsApp, they simply need to tap on Read and not Agree. A box at the bottom of the screen asks users permission to share information with Facebook. They simply need to uncheck it.

If users agreed to the measure, they simply need to go to Settings, then Account and uncheck the box that says Share my account info. This needs to be done in 30 days time after agreeing with the new measure.

And while it all looks good and for the more advanced users it will be easy to opt-out, I'm pretty sure that the majority of the people (the happy clickers) will just click OK and be done with it. And if you will ask them at some point if they known that Facebook is using their Whatsapp data they will be outraged. I do think that Facebook is basically counting on the fact that the people are not reading the TOS, as I cannot imagine why would you want to connect Facebook with Whatsapp ...for advertising purposes.

This is what happens when you do not read the full article, shame on you @frogboy

 

[Der.Reisende]

Thank you for the share @Jack, just disabled the option. Did not read the terms of use, shame on me
Thanks God there is MT!

 

[LabZero]

Thanks @Jack!
Just unflagged "sharing my phone number with FB"

 

[LabZero]

This is what happens when you do not read the full article, shame on you @frogboy

No prob my friend..it's the same here!

 

[LabZero]

Thanks God there is MT!

That's so true!!!

 

[darko999]

I don't see such option yet, IDK.

 

[Cohen]

Thanks for sharing, Jack.
Will share this information with my friends and family who use WhatsApp.

 

[Jack]

I don't see such option yet, IDK.

You should get it today. Here is how it will look like:



As you may have expected the opt-out check box is not in plain sight..



To be noted that I don't have the Facebook app installed on my phone.

 

[shicomu]

I don't get the 'riot' about this..
The service is free to use and facebook took over quite a while ago...
It should not come as a surprise that a move like this would be made...

If people are really disturbed by this they shoud go back to texting... but that's no option
since that's not free..

It's quite funny that tons of people are bashing at facebook but nobody is going to
alternatives such as diaspora.. ( "because nobody is there !" )

 

[LabZero]

Update: Lol, lots of irl friends are calling me about WhatsApp...so it is good for me to be on MT!!

 

[Atlas147]

Very unfortunate but the sad truth is that they need to keep their servers up somehow, and now that all messages are end to end encrypted they are unable to sell the user's data to 3rd parties. So the next best option is to allow 3rd parties to come to them and advertise. Even though this is something that we are all against it's kinda the only way that whatsapp would remain free for all users.

Personally I have friends who are beginning to migrate to Telegram, and I absolutely love Telegram as well. But have you ever thought about how Telegram makes it's money to keep the service afloat?

 

[shicomu]

Personally I have friends who are beginning to migrate to Telegram, and I absolutely love Telegram as well. But have you ever thought about how Telegram makes it's money to keep the service afloat?

Telegram is linked to the russian social network VK so it's not that much better then FB imho...

 

[_CyberGhosT_]

Telegram is linked to the russian social network VK so it's not that much better then FB imho...

Kinda glad I have no idea what this app is, after reading about it, I wouldn't use this App.
Thanks Jack, cool share.

 

[JHomes]

Guess I'll have more telemarketers to mess with.