Millions of users of the popular messaging app, WhatsApp have started migrating to other messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal following the new privacy policy of WhatsApp.
The new WhatsApp privacy policy indicates that WhatsApp users’ personal details such as phone numbers, service-related data, IP addresses, contacts, etc. will be shared with Facebook from February 8, 2021. WhatsApp users’ who do not accept the new conditions would be unable to use the messaging app from February 8, 2021.
Facebook executive, Adam Mosseri in a tweet however said there was a lot of misinformation regarding the updated privacy policy.
Mosseri said, “The policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends and family in any way”.
WhatsApp said in a blog post, “We can’t see your private messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook.
“We don’t keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling. We can’t see your shared location and neither can Facebook.”
WhatsApp said in a post, “We’re giving businesses the option to use secure hosting services from Facebook to manage WhatsApp chats with their customers, answer questions and send helpful information like purchase receipts.
“Whether you communicate with a business by phone, email or WhatsApp, it can see what you’re saying and may use that information for its own marketing purposes, which may include advertising on Facebook.”
Signal and Telegram have recorded a surge in downloads with Signal having approximately 7.5 million downloads between January 6-10, the highest monthly or weekly download in the history of the app.
Signal disclosed on Twitter that there would be a delay in verification codes because so many new users’ were joining the app. Signal claims to use “state of the art end-to-end encryption” which allows only the intended recipient to read messages but there are still concerns such as requests from people to allow signups with email and Signal also lacks some features available on WhatsApp.
Telegram also recorded a high amount of downloads with 25 million new users joining the app within 72 hours.
Telegram founder, Pavel Durov said, “People no longer want to exchange their privacy for free services.”
He also said Telegram is a safe haven for those seeking a private and secure communications platform and this responsibility is important to his team.
