A few years back, Facebook-owned WhatsApp which has end-to-end encryption for more than 1 billion users across the globe. This end-to-end encryption ensures that users have a more secure platform to electronically converse with their others without worrying about hackers trying to break into their private data.
However, WhatsApp is facing a trust issue after it issued an update to its privacy policy. This privacy policy explains data sharing with Facebook, and how data is used when a customer interacts with a business on the platform. Therefore, WhatsApp is now in damage control mode in the wake of widespread criticism from users over its updated privacy policy.
To solve this crisis, WhatsApp added a new FAQ post saying that “We want to be clear that the policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way.” It adds that the update “provides further transparency about how we collect and use data.”
But while “messages with friends or family” will not be affected by the change in policy, the same will not be the case with business messaging. They further said that “messaging with businesses is different than messaging with your family or friends” and some “large businesses need to use hosting services to manage their communication”.
Further, the Facebook-owned service has also published an infographic clarifying how it handles private messages. It claims that it cannot see messages exchanged between users or hear their calls. Facebook also doesn’t have access to this data. It further clarifies that it does not keep logs and doesn’t see your shared location, contacts, or group messages.
WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart also post a Twitter message trying to cut through the confusion and explain what’s actually going on.
“With end-to-end encryption, we cannot see your private chats or calls, and neither can Facebook. We’re committed to this technology and committed to defending it globally,” Cathcart wrote. “It’s important for us to be clear this update describes business communication and does not change WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices with Facebook. It does not impact how people communicate privately with friends or family wherever they are in the world.”
It is no wonder that users are moving to an app like Signal when they feel they can no longer trust what’s really happening when they message others on their smartphone. All in all, it looks like WhatsApp is trying its best to retain users who seem to be looking to other messaging platforms like Signal and Telegram in the wake of the new policy changes.
Now, Facebook and WhatsApp face a long road of transparent communication and trust-building ahead if they want to get those people back.