One very popular and widely used social media whatsapp is going to used proactively for commercial purposes too. The authorities of WhatsApp say that it will begin sharing more data with Facebook and will start letting some companies send messages to its users.
This is the first time the company has changed its privacy policy since the firm was purchased by Facebook in 2014. WhatsApp will now share information of users’ phone numbers with the social network, which it will use to provide “more relevant” friend suggestions and advertisements.
Not a welcome move!
According to some analysts, some people might feel “betrayed” by this move.
Data sharing
WhatsApp said sharing users’ phone numbers with Facebook would help tackle spam and abuse, as well as offer people better friend suggestions and more relevant advertisements. Using the data, Facebook will be able to match people who have exchanged phone numbers, but have not added one another as “friends” on the social network. WhatsApp will also share information about when people last used the service, but said it would not share the contents of messages, which are encrypted.
While speaking about the privacy, the company mentioned in a blogpost that the users’ encrypted messages stay private and no-one else can read them. Not WhatsApp, not Facebook, nor anyone else. The company added that users would be able to opt out of sharing information with Facebook by following the steps outlined on its website.
How can one opt out of data sharing?
When prompted to accept the updated terms and conditions, tap Read to expand the full text.
A check box at the bottom of the new privacy policy will let you opt out of the data sharing
WhatsApp states Facebook will still receive data in some situations
When WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook it was able to reassure users that it would remain independent claimed Principal Analyst at Ovum Pamela Clark-Dickson. Now it’s giving Facebook phone numbers – some might say that’s a betrayal of trust. In a small way, it has gone back on what it said it wouldn’t do.
Marketing messages
The updated privacy policy also paves the way for businesses to send messages to WhatsApp users. The company suggested messages typically sent via SMS text message – such as airline flight alerts or bank balance updates – could be sent via WhatsApp instead. It said that in addition to appointment information and delivery notifications, it would also allow “marketing” messages.
“Messages you may receive containing marketing could include an offer for something that might interest you,” the company said. Clark-Dickson said users may not mind the service if they can opt in and the messages are useful.
She added that it will help them generate revenue if they charge businesses a fee to send messages.
However WhatsApp needs to be careful, a lot of people use this social media only because they don’t get advertisements here. The company said it would test such messaging features in the coming months, but promised to avoid a “spammy experience” where people are inundated with ads, and said it would not display so-called banner ads in its app. Other messaging apps such as China’s WeChat have already enabled business-to-consumer communication to great success, but Clark-Dickson suggested WhatsApp would take a different approach. She added that WeChat is a content-driven platform. It opened up its platform to third parties, letting people make payments, book taxis. That seems to be the direction Facebook is taking Messenger.
WhatsApp has the potential to be a great communication facility, if it concentrates on a solid user experience as its differential.”
