When popular messaging app Whatsapp was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $19 billion, the company penned a blog post that "set the record straight" about the acquisition, co-founder Jan Koum promising that the app, which tried to build a reputation on respecting user privacy, would keep privacy at the heart of its operations under Facebook. Privacy was, Koum promised, simply "coded into our DNA."
"You don't have to give us your name and we don't ask for your email address," stated Koum. "We don t know your birthday. We don t know your home address. We don t know where you work. We don t know your likes, what you search for on the internet or collect your GPS location. None of that data has ever been collected and stored by WhatsApp, and we really have no plans to change that."
That was then, this is now.
A new report in the New York Times notes that in about thirty days, the company will begin sharing user data with Facebook. Encrypted messages at the core of Whatsapp will of course still be protected from spying eyes, but Facebook is expected to make great marketing use of whatsapp user metadata and phone numbers as it continues building its global advertising empire.
As you might expect, a new Whatsapp blog post downplays the apparent one-eighty on privacy, claiming this isn't about tracking users more deeply to make money, it's about helping the end user avoid spam and make stronger, deeper connections with friends.
"...By coordinating more with Facebook, we'll be able to do things like track basic metrics about how often people use our services and better fight spam on WhatsApp," states the company. "And by connecting your phone number with Facebook's systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them."
The Electronic Privacy Information Center was quick to argue that Facebook and Whatsapp have violated federal law with the move. The group notes it had filed a previous FTC complaint (pdf), which the FTC responded to by claiming that failure to obtain users' opt-in consent before modifying privacy practices would be an "unfair and deceptive trade practice" and violate Facebook s FTC Consent Order (pdf).
"WhatsApp users should be shocked and upset," EPIC told Motherboard's Sam Gustin in a statement. "WhatsApp obtained one billion users by promising that it would protect user privacy. Both Facebook and WhatsApp made very public promises that the companies would maintain a separation. Those were the key selling points of the deal."
If you're not impressed by Whatsapp's decision you can of course (unlike telecom and broadband) stop using the company's services. There's also two ways to opt out. At the bottom of the new terms and conditions screen there's a line that says "Read more about the key updates to our terms and privacy policy." Click on this, then uncheck "share my account info." If you've already opted in to the new TOS, you can head to Settings - Account - Share my account info and uncheck the option.
Granted if you've seen the EFF's ranking of companies that respect your privacy and privacy settings, Whatsapp was already among the most poorly ranked, sitting right alongside AT&T. So if privacy was truly important to you, it's likely you've already moved on to a different encrypted messaging app.
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