WhatsApp delays Facebook data sharing policy, but the damage is done

WhatsApp backtracks on its privacy policy, but it already broke user trust.

WhatsApp updated its privacy policy last week, with the platform noting that it would mandate sharing user data with Facebook. The move led to a mass exodus, with users flocking to Signal and Telegram.

Signal is actually down right now because of the influx of users making the switch from WhatsApp, and Telegram revealed that it picked up 25 million new users over the course of the last week.

To limit the damage even further, WhatsApp is now delaying the enforcement of the new privacy policy. The policy was meant to go into effect on February 8, and WhatsApp has now stated that the date has been pushed back to May 15.

In that time, WhatsApp says it will "clear up the misinformation" around how privacy and security works on its platform so that users have a better understanding of the data that will be shared with Facebook:

We're now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8.

We're also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp.

We'll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15.

A lot of the issues that WhatsApp faced were of its own making. The platform offered little in the way of clarification around the Facebook data sharing policy, and it was only until there was a full-blown user backlash that WhatsApp actually responded and revealed what information would be shared. WhatsApp says it will not share your contacts with Facebook, nor can it access your location details.

A lot of users found out about WhatsApp's association with Facebook for the first time because of the policy change. I've received dozens of messages from friends and family asking for alternatives to the platform, and a lot of my contacts shifted en masse to Signal. The fact that you can easily move group chats to Signal makes things easier.

So even if WhatsApp isn't going to share user data with Facebook, it made a lot of users question their trust in the platform, and it will be a long road ahead to regain that trust. In a time when Facebook is trying to monetize WhatsApp by introducing business-focused features — which is what the new policy was all about — it may have instead prompted a mass exit.

Source: androidcentral

The hidden cost of food delivery

Noah Lichtenstein Contributor Share on Twitter Noah Lichtenstein is the founder and managing partner of Crossover , a diversified private technology fund backed by institutional investors, technology execs and professional athletes and entertainers. More posts by this contributor What Studying Students Teaches Us About Great Apps I’ll admit it: When it comes to food, I’m lazy. There are dozens of great dining options within a few blocks of my home, yet I still end up ordering food through delivery apps four or five times per week. With the growing coronavirus pandemic closing restaurants and consumers self-isolating, it is likely we will see a spike in food delivery much like the 20% jump China reported during the peak of its crisis. With the food delivery sector rocketing toward a projected $365 billion by the end of the decade, I’m clearly not the only one turning to delivery apps even before the pandemic hit. Thanks to technology (and VC funding) we can get a ri

Cyber Monday Canada: Last-minute deals for everyone on your list

Best Cyber Monday Canada deals: Smart Home Audio Phones, Tablets & Accessories Wearables Laptops & PC Components Amazon products Gaming Televisions Cameras Lifestyle & Kitchen Toys & Kids Cyber Monday Canada is here, and retailers are rolling out the red carpet for customers who want to shop for everything from tech to kitchenware to games and everything in between. Unlike years past, Cyber Monday Canada deals look a bit different than normal. Instead of retailers trying to pack their stores with as many shoppers as possible, we're seeing tons of online deals that you can take advantage of from the comfort of your home. We've rounded up our favorites below, so feel free to browse through the best of what Canada Cyber Monday has to offer! This list is being updated with new Cyber Monday deals all the time, so check back often. Spotlight deals It's a Switch Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition bundle $399.95 at Amazon It's a Switch.

iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Buyer's Guide: 50+ Differences Compared

The iPhone 15 Pro brings over 50 new features and improvements to Apple's high-end smartphones compared to the iPhone 13 Pro, which was released two years prior. This buyer's guide breaks down every major difference you should be aware of between the two generations and helps you to decide whether it's worth upgrading. The ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro debuted in 2021, introducing a brighter display with ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120Hz, the A15 Bionic chip, a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, Macro photography and photographic styles, Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field, ProRes video recording, a 1TB storage option, and five hours of additional battery life. The ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro was discontinued upon the announcement of the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022, but it is still possible to get hold of it second-hand. Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two iPhone models is best for you and serves as a way to c

Slack’s new integration deal with AWS could also be about tweaking Microsoft

Slack and Amazon announced a big integration late yesterday afternoon. As part of the deal, Slack will use Amazon Chime for its call feature, while reiterating its commitment to use AWS as its preferred cloud provider to run its infrastructure. At the same time, AWS has agreed to use Slack for internal communications. Make no mistake, this is a big deal as the SaaS communications tool increases its ties with AWS, but this agreement could also be about slighting Microsoft and its rival Teams product by making a deal with a cloud rival. In the past Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield has had choice words for Microsoft saying the Redmond technology giant sees his company as an “existential threat.” Whether that’s true or not — Teams is but one piece of a huge technology company — it’s impossible not to look at the deal in this context. Aligning more deeply with AWS sends a message to Microsoft, whose Azure infrastructure services compete with AWS. Butterfield didn’t say that of course

Tech Talk

Search This Blog