From February 8, you will have to agree to share your data with other Facebook entities (Messenger, Instagram) to continue using the WhatsApp service.
WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram applications // Gamesdone: Frandroid
« Respect for your privacy is rooted in our DNA“, Say the WhatsApp teams on the platform’s official website. A beautiful promise, but which does not bring in any money. However, under the leadership of Facebook, some things are about to change.
Indeed, several users around the world, and in particular in France, saw a message when opening WhatsApp. The note states that as of February 8, “you will need to accept the new conditions to continue using WhatsApp“. In other words, the service will be inaccessible to those who refuse.
Frandroid screenshot
Frandroid screenshot
Except that these new conditions include information on the sharing of data collected on WhatsApp with other services of Facebook – the social network of the same name, Instagram and Messenger.
Data shared with other Facebook entities
Until now, it was possible to refuse this sharing of information between Facebook’s platforms while continuing to use WhatsApp, but this will no longer be the case from February 8. It remains to be seen what data will be collected.
On the official website, we can read that WhatsApp can share with other entities of Facebook your phone number, transaction data, the way you interact with other users or companies, your IP address, etc.
Merger of services
If WhatsApp is an essential application for you, you will have to come to terms with these conditions. Otherwise, you could turn to an alternative service.
On the Facebook side, the challenge is to develop a profitable business model on WhatsApp, a service it bought in 2014. This merger of services has already started to be seen between Messenger and Instagram, but the firm founded by Mark Zuckerberg intends to further expand its empire and the connections between its platforms.
Moreover, this story is reminiscent of the Facebook accounts that have become mandatory to use Oculus headsets.
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