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WhatsApp succumbs to overlord

Lauren Kate Rawlins
By Lauren Kate Rawlins, ITWeb digital and innovation contributor.
Johannesburg, 26 Aug 2016
Facebook will gain access to over a billion WhatsApp user cellphone numbers.
Facebook will gain access to over a billion WhatsApp user cellphone numbers.

WhatsApp has updated its terms and conditions to allow parent company, Facebook, access to phone numbers and other previously private information.

Facebook acquired the messaging app for $19 billion two years ago and it has long been rumoured the company would try to monetise its investment. Gaining the personal cellphone numbers of over a billion users worldwide would be a good start.

WhatsApp resisted integrating adverts into its service since inception, which was the original drawcard for early users. WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton famously had: "No Ads! No Games! No Gimmicks!" scrawled on a Post-it note next to his desk.

In 2009, co-founder Jan Koum wrote: "We have not, we do not and we will not ever sell your personal information to anyone. Period."

While WhatsApp will not technically sell user information, it will link phone numbers to Facebook for businesses to gain analytics and better serve adverts to their customers.

The company does, however, say this information will not lead to third-party banner ads and spam, but rather the update will allow the app to explore ways for users to communicate with businesses that users are interested in.

The newly drawn-up terms of service can be dissected here.

Too vague

The move has seen a backlash from users, as the company has not explicitly said how their information will be used.

Examples of bank notifications about a potentially fraudulent transaction, or a message from an airline about a delayed flight, were given in a blog post.

However, it is still ambiguous as to why the app needs to be connected to Facebook to do this.

The company says: "By connecting your phone number with Facebook's systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them."

Arthur Goldstuck, World Wide Worx MD, says the move is really aggressive and the massive backlash was to be expected.

"And they [WhatsApp] brought it on themselves. With a move this big, you cannot afford ambiguity."

He says the company will have to show very clearly what it is going to do and not release a blanket assurance blog post.

Liron Segev, tech analyst, says: "Regardless of how much WhatsApp is assuring users that private information will not be shared, users are wary of this move for fear of losing the last ad-free platform and being bombarded with ads.

"The optimist sees this as a business opportunity for companies to engage with customers and offer better customer service experience."

But he says the problem is: "It isn't exactly clear how business will communicate with the WhatsApp users. Is it in a form of a message or a push notification, or will they send images and video in between the conversation?

"There is also fear that ads will be content-aware. So if you are chatting with your friends about your Saturday night plans, will you get a message from a restaurant offering you a coupon?"

WhatsApp says neither Facebook nor it will be able to read messages as all messages were recently encrypted end-to-end.

However, the update does not inspire faith that the company will not go back on its word.

Dan Gillmor tweeted: "Once again Facebook betrays a privacy promise. If this surprises you, I'm sorry, but you're hopelessly naive."

Andrea Vance took to Twitter to call for users to abandon WhatsApp, and Pia Mancini said: "I've already closed my Facebook, moving out of WhatsApp again to Signal and Telegram. It was nice while it lasted."

However, Goldstuck notes WhatsApp will not see a decline in usage. "People have a great willingness to trade privacy for utility. It will only scare away those who have a concern for privacy."

Way out

Segev says there is some good news, as the option to share information with other parties can be disabled on the messaging app.

There are two ways to do this. WhatsApp will have to send out an update, at which time users should click on the terms and conditions before "blindly agreeing" and uncheck the option at the end that allows the app to share information with Facebook, explains Segev.

The other option, if users have already accepted the terms and conditions, is to go into the settings within the app, then click 'Account', then 'Share'. In this menu, there will be an option to uncheck 'Share my account info'.

The update does not appear to have rolled out in SA yet.

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