WhatsApp: Difference between revisions
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{{InfoboxCompany | {{ToneWarning}}{{InfoboxCompany | ||
| Name = WhatsApp | | Name = WhatsApp | ||
| Type =Subsidiary | | Type =Subsidiary | ||
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There was a widespread backlash over an upcoming privacy policy update, relating the data-sharing procedures with Facebook. It outlined how businesses who use WhatsApp for customer service may store logs of its chats on Facebook servers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statt |first=Nick |date=12 Jan 2021 |title=WhatsApp clarifies it’s not giving all your data to Facebook after surge in Signal and Telegram users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/12/22226792/whatsapp-privacy-policy-response-signal-telegram-controversy-clarification |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112161057/https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/12/22226792/whatsapp-privacy-policy-response-signal-telegram-controversy-clarification |archive-date=12 Jan 2021 |access-date=6 Mar 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> The update received a broader concern, causing millions of users to flee the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=24 Jan 2021 |title=WhatsApp loses millions of users after terms update |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/24/whatsapp-loses-millions-of-users-after-terms-update |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124165416/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/24/whatsapp-loses-millions-of-users-after-terms-update |archive-date=24 Jan 2021 |access-date=6 Mar 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> | There was a widespread backlash over an upcoming privacy policy update, relating the data-sharing procedures with Facebook. It outlined how businesses who use WhatsApp for customer service may store logs of its chats on Facebook servers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statt |first=Nick |date=12 Jan 2021 |title=WhatsApp clarifies it’s not giving all your data to Facebook after surge in Signal and Telegram users |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/12/22226792/whatsapp-privacy-policy-response-signal-telegram-controversy-clarification |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112161057/https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/12/22226792/whatsapp-privacy-policy-response-signal-telegram-controversy-clarification |archive-date=12 Jan 2021 |access-date=6 Mar 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref> The update received a broader concern, causing millions of users to flee the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=24 Jan 2021 |title=WhatsApp loses millions of users after terms update |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/24/whatsapp-loses-millions-of-users-after-terms-update |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124165416/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/24/whatsapp-loses-millions-of-users-after-terms-update |archive-date=24 Jan 2021 |access-date=6 Mar 2025 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> | ||
=== "Advanced chat privacy" === | ==="Advanced chat privacy"=== | ||
The "advanced chat privacy" feature reduces data portability by disabling chat exporting. Chat exporting lets you export the entire chat history and optionally media attachments into a ZIP file. This can now be remotely disabled by the other participant, meaning the user is at the mercy of the other participant to allow exporting. | The "advanced chat privacy" feature reduces data portability by disabling chat exporting. Chat exporting lets you export the entire chat history and optionally media attachments into a ZIP file. This can now be remotely disabled by the other participant, meaning the user is at the mercy of the other participant to allow exporting. | ||
There are legitimate reasons for exporting chats such as backups in a human-readable and non-proprietary format, pre-empting erroneous account terminations (yes, [https://karl-voit.at/cloud they do happen]), searching using external tools, and preserving good memories with people, including with deceased people (see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj5dxoMY-dE Ed Sheeran - Old Phone]). And if you don't trust someone to keep something secret, you shouldn't send it in the first place, just as you would not tell them in real life. | There are legitimate reasons for exporting chats such as backups in a human-readable and non-proprietary format, pre-empting erroneous account terminations (yes, [https://karl-voit.at/cloud they do happen]), searching using external tools, and preserving good memories with people, including with deceased people (see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj5dxoMY-dE Ed Sheeran - Old Phone]). And if you don't trust someone to keep something secret, you shouldn't send it in the first place, just as you would not tell them in real life. | ||
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<ref>[http://archive.today/2025.07.07-200053/https://cybersecuritynews.com/whatsapp-advanced-chat-privacy-feature/ WhatsApp’s New Advanced Chat Privacy Feature to Protect Sensitive Conversations]</ref> | <ref>[http://archive.today/2025.07.07-200053/https://cybersecuritynews.com/whatsapp-advanced-chat-privacy-feature/ WhatsApp’s New Advanced Chat Privacy Feature to Protect Sensitive Conversations]</ref> | ||
== Mandatory updates == | ==Mandatory updates== | ||
Frequent enforced updates are another reason against using WhatsApp. WhatsApp holds all your conversations hostage until you install their update. They could have made outdated versions read-only, letting you access existing conversations but not send anything until you update, but instead they chose to lock you out entirely. | Frequent enforced updates are another reason against using WhatsApp. WhatsApp holds all your conversations hostage until you install their update. They could have made outdated versions read-only, letting you access existing conversations but not send anything until you update, but instead they chose to lock you out entirely. | ||
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==Alternatives== | ==Alternatives== | ||
* [https://www.signal.org Signal] offers most of the same features, and while [[Signal data collection|not without some issues]], the app is open source, relies on Privacy by Design and is operated by a non-profit. | *[https://www.signal.org Signal] offers most of the same features, and while [[Signal data collection|not without some issues]], the app is open source, relies on Privacy by Design and is operated by a non-profit. | ||
* [https://matrix.org/ Matrix] is more private and uses a federated design, but setup is slightly more involved than a commercial messenger. | *[https://matrix.org/ Matrix] is more private and uses a federated design, but setup is slightly more involved than a commercial messenger. | ||
* [https://telegram.org/ Telegram] is the most popular alternative and end-user friendly, with minimal content moderation. Prior to a September 2024 policy change, it refused to hand over user data to law enforcement upon request.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Lily |last=Jamali |title=Telegram will now provide some user data to authorities |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvglp0xny3eo |website=BBC |date=23 Sep 2024 |access-date=22 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923225048/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvglp0xny3eo |archive-date=23 Sep 2024}}</ref> | *[https://telegram.org/ Telegram] is the most popular alternative and end-user friendly, with minimal content moderation. Prior to a September 2024 policy change, it refused to hand over user data to law enforcement upon request.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Lily |last=Jamali |title=Telegram will now provide some user data to authorities |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvglp0xny3eo |website=BBC |date=23 Sep 2024 |access-date=22 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923225048/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvglp0xny3eo |archive-date=23 Sep 2024}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||