Recently WhatsApp updated its terms & conditions for the first time ever. According to this new WhatsApp policy, WhatsApp will share your data, contact information, phone number, and account detail with Facebook in order to send personalized ads, friends suggestions, flight status, parcel delivery location, and much more. Here we are going to show you the way to stop WhatsApp from sharing your data with Facebook.
After accepting the latest terms and conditions, you will allow WhatsApp to share your data with Facebook which purportedly will allow the company to control spam and help it to learn user behavior and usage patterns. WhatsApp claims that all chats will remain end-to-end encrypted and no third-party app or Facebook can see your chats.
When WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook in a record-breaking deal, it assured users that personal details of WhatsApp users will not be shared with Facebook. But now we have seen a blatant disregard for all those previous claims by WhatsApp. In a spectacular U-turn, WhatsApp has will now start sharing your data with Facebook.
Why WhatsApp Changed its Stance Resharing User Data with Facebook
WhatsApp is justifying its decision to share user data with Facebook on grounds that it will help the company fight spam better. According to WhatsApp’s official statement: “Whether it’s hearing from your bank about a potentially fraudulent transaction or getting notified by an airline about a delayed flight, many of us get this information elsewhere, including in text messages and phone calls. We want to test these features in the next several months, but need to update our terms and privacy policy to so.”
The above statement is a classic case of a giant corporation issuing a sugarcoated statement to placate user concerns about privacy in an attempt to get what it wants in the end, profits.
What Sort of Information will be shared with Facebook?
WhatsApp will share account information, user data, and phone numbers with Facebook. No advertising company will be able to get your data, only Facebook will get access to it. WhatsApp further clarified in a statement that it won’t share your photos, videos, text messages with Facebook or any other app. And nothing you do on Facebook can be seen on WhatsApp.
Are we Heading Towards Ads Era on WhatsApp?
As for now, NO, WhatsApp isn’t allowing advertisers to flood your timelines and interrupt your chatting with ads. The company added, “We still do not allow third-party banner ads on WhatsApp.” WhatsApp said in a statement, “We do not want you to have a spammy experience, as, with all of your messages, you can manage these communications, and we will honor the choices you make.”
How to Stop WhatsApp from Sharing your Data with Facebook
There is a way for WhatsApp users can prevent their data from getting shared with Facebook. Those who have not accepted the privacy policy yet should select the ‘Read More’ option before clicking on the ‘Agree’ button. At the bottom of the page uncheck a checkbox to stop WhatsApp from sharing with Facebook.
Those who have accepted new terms and conditions and privacy policy can still change their decision within 30 days of accepting new terms. Here’s is how to do it:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Now open Settings by tapping the three dots in the top-right corner.
- Next, under Settings, tap on Account.
- First, tap to uncheck the Share my account info option and then tap on don’t share to confirm the selection.
That’s all.
NOTE: This option is not available on latest version of WhatsApp. If you are using an older version, you can use that option.
But, you can now request your Account information that WhatsApp had tracked so far.
So, what do you think about this feature and update of WhatsApp? Share your views on the same in the comment section below.
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