WhatsApp: Share your data with Facebook, or we'll make our own app useless to you
(2021/05/11)
- Reference: 1620769267
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/05/11/whatsapp_app_crackdown/
- Source link:
WhatsApp users who refuse to share their personal information with Facebook's internet empire will slowly but surely be cut off from the chat app, the social network has confirmed.
In January, WhatsApp users were told if wanted to keep using the software, they must agree to an updated [1]fine print that allows their data to be shared with not only WhatsApp's parent Facebook but also its subsidiaries as and when decided by the tech giant.
This information includes names, profile pictures, status updates, phone numbers, contacts lists, and details about mobile devices and connections, though not the contents of encrypted messages and calls. Those who did not accept the terms and conditions would not be allowed to use the application from February.
[2]
[3]
[4]
After a surge in interest in alternative messaging systems, such as Signal and Telegram, in response to this ultimatum, Facebook backed down on the February deadline, and then returned swinging. For the past few weeks it has popped up alerts in WhatsApp attempting to explain the data sharing, and now says netizens must [5]play ball or lose out from May 15 onward.
Folks who don't agree to the new terms won't be cut off from the application immediately. Instead after several weeks they'll be shown "persistent reminders" and suffer a degradation of service. First your lists of conversations will be hidden, though you'll still be able to take incoming voice and video calls, and respond to messages via notifications. A few weeks after this, you won't be able to do anything with the software, and after 120 days of inactivity, the WhatsApp account will be automatically closed.
"If you’d like to delete your account on Android, iPhone, or KaiOS, we hope you reconsider. Deleting your account is something we can’t reverse as it erases your message history, removes you from all of your WhatsApp groups, and deletes your WhatsApp backups," Zuck & Co warned. You can export your messages and files from the app, if you so wish.
[6]
A spokesperson for the internet giant previously told The Register WhatsApp updated its privacy policy to allow users to send questions and requests to businesses via the app, which would be handled by Facebook's infrastructure, hence the need for the adjusted wording. She added that there will be effectively no change in data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook for non-business conversations. Also if you previously told WhatsApp not to share your information with Facebook, it still won't even if you accept the new terms.
In short, WhatsApp says there is no practical change for its users. However, this whole affair has been poorly communicated, the lengthy fine print is open to interpretation, and if the update is so immaterial: why is Facebook going so far as to wind down features in its own messaging app to pressure people into accepting?
Germany says nein, danke
The move comes just as WhatsApp's terms and conditions are facing increasingly public scrutiny, and have been blocked in Germany.
[7]WhatsApp in India? A probe into Facebook privacy, citizen cyber-cops absolved, and censorship criticism
[8]Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp pause usual data collection with an outage
[9]Indian government slams Facebook over WhatsApp 'privacy' update, wants its own Europe-style opt-out switch
[10]If you're a WhatsApp user, you'll have to share your personal data with Facebook's empire from next month – or stop using the chat app
Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Johannes Caspar moved
"The order now issued relates to the further processing of WhatsApp user data and is directed at Facebook," said Caspar. "The worldwide criticism against the new terms of service should give reason to fundamentally rethink the consent mechanism once again. Without user trust, no business model based on data can be successful in the long run."
The Germans are not alone in this. The Indian government too has [12]slammed the privacy policy, saying there are “grave concerns regarding the implications for the choice and autonomy of Indian citizens.”
[13]
Nevertheless, Facebook doesn't really care, and the slow degradation of WhatsApp features will begin when people refuse to accept the changes to data sharing. Signal is presumably gearing up for another flood of users. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/06/whatsapp_privacy_policy_demand/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/security-and-privacy/what-happens-when-our-terms-and-privacy-policy-updates-take-effect
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] http://www.theregister.com/2021/03/25/india_content_laws_in_trouble/
[8] http://www.theregister.com/2021/03/19/facebook_instagram_whatsapp_outage/
[9] http://www.theregister.com/2021/01/19/indian_facebook_whatsapp/
[10] http://www.theregister.com/2021/01/06/whatsapp_privacy_policy_demand/
[11] https://datenschutz-hamburg.de/assets/pdf/2021-05-11-press-release-facebook.pdf
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/19/indian_facebook_whatsapp/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
In January, WhatsApp users were told if wanted to keep using the software, they must agree to an updated [1]fine print that allows their data to be shared with not only WhatsApp's parent Facebook but also its subsidiaries as and when decided by the tech giant.
This information includes names, profile pictures, status updates, phone numbers, contacts lists, and details about mobile devices and connections, though not the contents of encrypted messages and calls. Those who did not accept the terms and conditions would not be allowed to use the application from February.
[2]
[3]
[4]
After a surge in interest in alternative messaging systems, such as Signal and Telegram, in response to this ultimatum, Facebook backed down on the February deadline, and then returned swinging. For the past few weeks it has popped up alerts in WhatsApp attempting to explain the data sharing, and now says netizens must [5]play ball or lose out from May 15 onward.
Folks who don't agree to the new terms won't be cut off from the application immediately. Instead after several weeks they'll be shown "persistent reminders" and suffer a degradation of service. First your lists of conversations will be hidden, though you'll still be able to take incoming voice and video calls, and respond to messages via notifications. A few weeks after this, you won't be able to do anything with the software, and after 120 days of inactivity, the WhatsApp account will be automatically closed.
"If you’d like to delete your account on Android, iPhone, or KaiOS, we hope you reconsider. Deleting your account is something we can’t reverse as it erases your message history, removes you from all of your WhatsApp groups, and deletes your WhatsApp backups," Zuck & Co warned. You can export your messages and files from the app, if you so wish.
[6]
A spokesperson for the internet giant previously told The Register WhatsApp updated its privacy policy to allow users to send questions and requests to businesses via the app, which would be handled by Facebook's infrastructure, hence the need for the adjusted wording. She added that there will be effectively no change in data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook for non-business conversations. Also if you previously told WhatsApp not to share your information with Facebook, it still won't even if you accept the new terms.
In short, WhatsApp says there is no practical change for its users. However, this whole affair has been poorly communicated, the lengthy fine print is open to interpretation, and if the update is so immaterial: why is Facebook going so far as to wind down features in its own messaging app to pressure people into accepting?
Germany says nein, danke
The move comes just as WhatsApp's terms and conditions are facing increasingly public scrutiny, and have been blocked in Germany.
[7]WhatsApp in India? A probe into Facebook privacy, citizen cyber-cops absolved, and censorship criticism
[8]Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp pause usual data collection with an outage
[9]Indian government slams Facebook over WhatsApp 'privacy' update, wants its own Europe-style opt-out switch
[10]If you're a WhatsApp user, you'll have to share your personal data with Facebook's empire from next month – or stop using the chat app
Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Johannes Caspar moved
[11]PDF
on Tuesday to stop the tweaked fine print being implemented in the nation, citing GDPR. The three-month injunction, effective immediately, was issued because the convoluted privacy policy is so difficult to understand that "consent is not freely given" by anyone who clicks OK."The order now issued relates to the further processing of WhatsApp user data and is directed at Facebook," said Caspar. "The worldwide criticism against the new terms of service should give reason to fundamentally rethink the consent mechanism once again. Without user trust, no business model based on data can be successful in the long run."
The Germans are not alone in this. The Indian government too has [12]slammed the privacy policy, saying there are “grave concerns regarding the implications for the choice and autonomy of Indian citizens.”
[13]
Nevertheless, Facebook doesn't really care, and the slow degradation of WhatsApp features will begin when people refuse to accept the changes to data sharing. Signal is presumably gearing up for another flood of users. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/06/whatsapp_privacy_policy_demand/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/security-and-privacy/what-happens-when-our-terms-and-privacy-policy-updates-take-effect
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] http://www.theregister.com/2021/03/25/india_content_laws_in_trouble/
[8] http://www.theregister.com/2021/03/19/facebook_instagram_whatsapp_outage/
[9] http://www.theregister.com/2021/01/19/indian_facebook_whatsapp/
[10] http://www.theregister.com/2021/01/06/whatsapp_privacy_policy_demand/
[11] https://datenschutz-hamburg.de/assets/pdf/2021-05-11-press-release-facebook.pdf
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/19/indian_facebook_whatsapp/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YJr@euT8WQlz7@X3lFYiZAAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/