The popular instant messenger service WhatsApp is changing its terms and conditions - with the result that confidential information is being exchanged with Facebook.
Now WhatsApp speaks up.
WhatsApp's usage guidelines will be changed on 02/08/2021.
The American antitrust authority FTC increases the pressure on parent company Facebook.
Information about phone numbers, transaction data and IP addresses are shared with Facebook.
Update from January 14th, 11:26 am:
The
forced update
of
seems to deter many customers and drive them to the competition.
According to the founder of the app,
Pawel Durow, the
messenger service
Telegram
gained
around 25 million new users within 72 hours.
The Russian announced this on January 12th.
Telegram currently has around 500 million monthly active users.
The gap to the US competitor
is thus getting smaller.
Durow
explains the increase without specifically referring to
: "People no longer want to give up their privacy for free services."
Telegram
is the "greatest haven" for those looking for a private and secure communication platform, he added.
The Telegram founder assured users that his team “takes this responsibility very seriously”.
The messaging app
Telegram
was founded in 2013 by the brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durow, who also started the Russian online network VKontakte.
Because Telegram refuses to cooperate with authorities and pass on encryption, the app is
banned
in
Russia
,
among other places
.
WhatsApp forced update: Serious change started - it affects every user
Update from January 9, 2:32 p.m.:
Recently, concerns about a new
update
on
emerged.
The fear: The change will interlock WhatsApp and Facebook even more closely and data exchange between the messenger services will be possible.
Users must agree to this by February 8th.
But now
WhatsApp's Director of Policy
Niamh Sweeney has reported on Twitter.
She denies the allegations.
It would be wrong for
WhatsApp users
in the European Union to have to agree that “data is shared with Facebook for advertising purposes in order to continue using the service.” It continues: “There is no change in data sharing practices in Europe as a result of this
update
. "
3/5 There are no changes to WhatsApp's data-sharing practices in the Europe arising from this update.
It remains the case that WhatsApp does not share European Region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or ads.
- Niamh Sweeney (@NiamhSweeneyNYC) January 7, 2021
Niamh Sweeney refers to the FAQ page of the messenger service.
There it is described that
shares data with Facebook in order to improve the security and protection of the apps, as well as to improve the services.
As the Director of Policy already emphasized on Twitter, it also says here: "Currently,
does not
use
your WhatsApp account information to improve your product experience on Facebook or to show you more interesting Facebook ads." So it is clear: They will already shared data, but not for
advertising purposes
.
The
update will
not change that.
Forced update: Serious change in WhatsApp starts - and it affects every user
First report from January 7th, March 13th:
Dublin - WhatsApp changes its terms of use.
Not really an unusual report, but the new rule change has it all: Due to the
close interlinking of Facebook and WhatsApp
, data exchange within the group will be accelerated from the beginning of February.
With the approval of the new usage guidelines, WhatsApp account information numbers, telephone numbers and information on interactions and mobile devices can be exchanged between the two companies, reports
t-online
.
Important change in WhatsApp: users have no choice
Users of the messenger service will have noticed that after opening the app,
information
about the upcoming rule change
is displayed across the
screen
.
You can still postpone approval, but from February 8th, 2021 you have to agree.
If you do not agree to the change in the terms of use, you can
no longer use
the
application
.
After the purchase of WhatsApp by Facebook in 2014, the update represents a closer integration between the two companies: Until recently, the sharing of data by the user could be refused, this will change by
02/08/2021
at the latest
.
WhatsApp is looking for direct contact with users - that is now changing
According to
WABetaInfo
, the messenger will in future be aimed directly at users.
While in the previous years there was no direct contact in the app, WhatsApp takes over the approach of the competitor Telegram, which has been pursuing this approach for a long time.
This means that users are informed about
new features directly
in the app.
Starting today, WhatsApp can send in-app announcements to their users.
Who knows what they are going to announce!
😁
Note: I don't mean advertisements, I mean probably announcements about features, changes, news, information and similar.
- WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) December 2, 2020
Change in WhatsApp: Facebook is targeted by the American antitrust authority FTC
Perhaps the parent company Facebook is reacting to pressure from the
American antitrust authority FTC by
changing the terms of use
.
The agency accuses Facebook of "illegal monopoly formation", which led to
lawsuits in 46 US states
.
Since the threat of splitting off the online services WhatsApp and Instagram is a possible measure, the parent company is attempting to interlink the services more closely.
(jf with AFP)
List of rubric lists: © Marius Bulling via www.imago-images.de
