WhatsApp issues ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or lose account
What's the story
WhatsApp has updated its privacy policy and requires users' consent to share their data with Facebook and associated companies. Failure to agree to the new terms of service will cause your WhatsApp account to become inoperable. The Facebook-owned service has given users a grace period of a month to agree to the terms. You have until February 8 to accept or lose your account.
Invasive policy
If you aren't paying for it, you are the product
Agreeing to the new privacy policy will allow your data to be shared with Facebook-owned entities such as Facebook Payments, CrowdTangle, and Onavo. The exact nature of data shared includes profile name, profile picture, IP address, phone number, contacts list, app logs, and status messages. Although WhatsApp began sharing data with Facebook four years ago, users had the option to opt out of it.
Conflicting signals
New ToS won't apply to users who opted-out in 2016
WhatsApp, however, has made conflicting statement to PCMag, where a company representative relayed that "functionally speaking" existing users of the service would experience minimal changes. The spokesperson noted that users who had previously opted out of sharing data with Facebook back in 2016 would continue to remain opted out even after they accept the new privacy policy.
Viable alternative
Elon Musk mocks WhatsApp new privacy policy; recommends Signal
Interestingly, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk doesn't see eye-to-eye with Facebook's Zuckerberg. He didn't waste this opportunity to lament the company for WhatsApp's privacy policy. Musk urged his followers to use Signal instead. The non-profit messaging platform features similar end-to-end encryption as WhatsApp, along with voice and video calling features. The surge of new registrations has since caused traffic issues for Signal.
Non-profit
Why you should heed Musk's advice and switch to Signal
Unlike WhatsApp, which needs to generate revenue for Facebook in order to make business sense, the Signal messenger app is funded by user donations to cover operational costs. This affords Signal freedom from selling user data to cover development, infrastructure, and bandwidth costs. The messaging service also incorporates key WhatsApp features such as end-to-end encryption as well as voice/video calling.