Whatsapp Is Forcing Users To Share Personal Data With Facebook

[+Salty Dog 69,153]

WhatsApp is forcing users to share personal data with Facebook, and Elon Musk is urging people to switch to Signal, a smaller encrypted messaging app

• WhatsApp is changing its terms of service to force users to share personal data including phone numbers and locations with its parent company, Facebook.
• Some critics, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, have suggested users move to the encrypted messaging apps Signal and Telegram.
• A WhatsApp representative told Ars Technica the change was to allow businesses to store WhatsApp chats using Facebook infrastructure.
• The messaging app sells itself as a privacy-focused service.

WhatsApp, the encrypted messaging app that sells itself as a privacy-focused service, will start forcing users to share personal data with Facebook, its parent company.

In an announcement sent to users on Wednesday, WhatsApp said users would have to agree to let Facebook and its subsidiaries collect WhatsApp data including users' phone numbers, contacts' phone numbers, locations, and more.

If users do not agree by February 8, they will lose access.

The move prompted calls for users to delete their WhatsApp accounts and switch to smaller encrypted messaging apps such as Signal and Telegram.

"Signal and Telegram are now better alternatives if you are concerned about your privacy," the TechCrunch editor Mike Butcher tweeted. He shared comparisons of the data WhatsApp collects versus what Signal and Telegram collect.

 

Signal and Telegram are now better alternatives if you are concerned about your privacy. Here’s what a Facebook wants out of you on WhatsApp and it’s own site: pic.twitter.com/uBN5g9ufgx

— Mike Butcher (@mikebutcher) January 7, 2021

 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was among those who recommended users switch services, tweeting, "Use Signal." Nine hours earlier, Musk seemed to criticized Facebook, via a sardonic meme, as bearing responsibility for the rioters who attacked the US Capitol on Wednesday. Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014, and in 2016 it gave users a one-time chance to opt out of sharing app data with Facebook.

A WhatsApp spokeswoman told Ars Technica the change was to allow businesses to store WhatsApp chats using Facebook's broader infrastructure.

A WhatsApp spokesman did not clarify why the platform decided to make the change but said it would not affect EU- and UK-based users.

"There are no changes to WhatsApp's data sharing practices in the European region (including UK) arising from the updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. For the avoidance of any doubt, it is still the case that WhatsApp does not share European region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or advertisements," the spokesman said.

The WhatsApp founders Brian Acton and Jan Koum left the company in 2017 and 2018. Acton has spoken about his departure, which followed the decision to introduce ads to WhatsApp, and has called for people to "delete Facebook."

Koum's departure was also surrounded by reports that he had clashed with management over the company's approach to user privacy on WhatsApp.

https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-forcing-users-to-share-personal-data-facebook-elon-musk-2021-1

[+Salty Dog 69,153]

When the richest man in the world speaks, people listen... 

Quote

Signal Stock Confusion? Did Elon Musk Tweet Have Investors Piling Into SIGL Stock?

SIGL saw heavy trading due to the misunderstanding

By William White, InvestorPlace Writer Jan 8, 2021, 11:31 am EST

An unfortunate mix-up yesterday result in investors piling on Signal Advance (OTCMKTS:SIGL) stock after a misunderstood Tweet from Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk.

A Tweet from Musk early Thursday morning simply said “Use Signal.” His endorsement of the encrypted messaging service saw investors hungry to make a profit jump on shares of SIGL stock. There’s only one problem. Signal Advance has nothing to do with the Signal app.

Signal Advance is a tech company with a focus on reducing delays in devices that rely on analog signals. That’s a far cry from anything that the Tesla CEO was talking about yesterday. Even so, more than 447,000 shares have changed hands today. That’s well above SIGL stock’s daily average trading volume of only about 10,000 shares.

So if Singal Advance has nothing to do with the Signal app, then who does? The app is the brainchild of Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton. Marlinspike has been involved in the encryption market for years with the launch of TextSecure and Red Phone in 2010. Acton’s specialty is social media and he’s the co-founder of WhatsApp.

All of this is reminiscent of the Zoom Video Communications (NASDAQ:ZM) and Zoom Technologies (OTCMKTS:ZOOM) confusion that took place last year. At that time, investors ending up putting their stakes in the wrong stocks. Ironically enough, that was the first time it had happened. The Zoom Video Communications initial public offering (IPO) also resulted in a boost to ZOOM stock.

SIGL stock was up 47.1% as of Friday morning.

https://investorplace.com/2021/01/signal-stock-confusion-did-elon-musk-tweet-have-investors-piling-into-sigl-stock/

 

[GwapoGuy 287]

Deleted WhatsApp when they were bought out by FB.

[Semper paratus 3,315]

Deleted Facebook today after trying for 2 months, far too invasive and I don't like censorship.

[HeyMike 11,070]

I deleted my facebook account back in September. My only social media now is LinC.

[Soupeod 7,425]

Deleted Facebook last October.

But the darn Local government puts all their notices on FB.  So, to read the notices I have a new FB with just me so I can read the news and no other info on it.

I’ve been using signal for years. Great app!

[Semper paratus 3,315]

Where I live the place doesn't have it's own forum so people have been using Facebook for certain information exchanges that is not official business of the club or the HOA on it's web-site.

I tried it for 2 months but found it to be too controlling and one sided. As stated above I quit and deleted what ever I could find that had any link to Fb. I saw some friends today and they said they can't even log on to fb  as they think people are quitting in droves.

I am sure glad I don't own any fb stock.

Starting yesterday and today people are quitting using FB and dropping it like flies completely as possible. This doesn't surprise me at all. I wouldn't be surprised either if at least half the people in here, about 525 homes, drop FB altogether.

[cookie47 2,030]

1 hour ago, Soupeod said:

Deleted Facebook last October.

But the darn Local government puts all their notices on FB.  So, to read the notices I have a new FB with just me so I can read the news and no other info on it.

I’ve been using signal for years. Great app!

Yes I'm with you, I stuck with Microsoft Messenger because all my (younger family) use it but don't have Facebook.I get P11sed when companies (some big) say " for more info see our Facebook page"... Nah,,....All other info like BI I rely on LinC...

[GwapoGuy 287]

On 1/10/2021 at 11:49 PM, cookie47 said:

Yes I'm with you, I stuck with Microsoft Messenger because all my (younger family) use it but don't have Facebook.I get P11sed when companies (some big) say " for more info see our Facebook page"... Nah,,....All other info like BI I rely on LinC...

There is always Viber which joined the Microsquash lineup a while back!

[+RogerDuMond 13,882]

On 1/11/2021 at 11:08 AM, Soupeod said:

Deleted Facebook last October.

But the darn Local government puts all their notices on FB.  So, to read the notices I have a new FB with just me so I can read the news and no other info on it.

I’ve been using signal for years. Great app!

I am kind of stuck with Facebook. So many of our customers and potential customers use Facebook that our business would be dead without it. The animal business culture of the Philippines is built around Facebook. The same thing goes for messenger as it is linked to the Facebook account.

For personal social media, I have started using gab.com as they don't regulate speech or your access to information.

[cookie47 2,030]

2 hours ago, GwapoGuy said:

There is always Viber

Yes that's Another program I've got installed BUT I only use it for one person.Ive got a half dozen of What's app contacts and they are family and long term as I started all this (social) media bull**** Sorry, stuff, with WhatsApp years ago..It seems the "young ones"in the Philippines favor Messanger... I guess its because it is aligned with Facebook. 

I wanted to try Signal as mentioned by "souped" I think ?... but what's the point if others won't change.

It's sad that people like roger "have" to use Facebook. I can remember the days walking to the phone box and someone had stole the phone book's.