The rival messaging network to the Facebook platform received 25 million new users in 72 hours.
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January 13, 2021 3 min read
In recent days, WhatsApp has been going around on social networks and media due to the controversy that sparked a change in privacy terms and conditions where it emerged that the messaging application would share your information with Facebook , the conglomerate to which it belongs.
Image: WhatsApp
This caused Telegram , a competing WhatsApp service to register 25 million new users in just 72 hours and other platforms such as Signal, have received accolades from figures like Elon Musk himself .
The blow to WhatsApp’s reputation has been strong enough for Will Cathart, director of the service, to release a statement assuring that the changes that were made will only apply to the WhatsApp Business branch and that conversations will continue to be encrypted.
Image: WhatsApp
What can WhatsApp do with my data?
According to the previous image, the conversations, calls, location of users and groups remain private and that whoever wishes can download their information from the platform.
Cathart remarked that the company does not even have access to the chats and calls of the 2 billion people around the world who use WhatsApp and therefore neither does Facebook and Instagram. That is, they will not keep a record of what you talk to your friends, family or co-workers.
WhatsApp even launched a Frequently Asked Questions page about its new privacy policy and that only the possibility was activated that Facebook servers can access the information to be able to host it properly due to its volume.
It should be noted that WhatsApp accepts that the information that can be shared for marketing purposes with Facebook is that which is generated through the “Shops” platform that allows making purchases through the messaging service and this will be so that brands can show personalized ads on Facebook and Instagram. The company assured that it will always communicate with the user when the company with which it is maintaining contact has chosen to save its information in the Facebook host.
Communication from WhatsApp has been confusing, so we do not rule out further clarifications in the future.
How can I protect my information?
Changes to WhatsApp privacy will take effect until February 8, but if you wish you can configure your messages to “disappear” once they are received.
You can also request that WhatsApp give you the data it has about you through this page. From here you can export your information for Android and from here for iOS .
It remains to be seen if the exodus of users to Telegram does not increase.