Risk associated with Whatsapp New Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Whatsapp has recently updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The point to be noted is that Whatsapp is not a stand-alone company, but it is a part of Facebook Inc. And, we all know the level of data privacy attached to Facebook. In this article, I am sharing my views about Whatsapp's new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Before I start, I just wanted to say your privacy is at risk.

Whatsapp has mentioned a lot of things in its Terms of Privacy, but this is the main page. Isn't it funny?

Whatsapp Account Termination and Ban

It is mentioned in the new Whatsapp Terms of Service Page that if you are misusing Whatsapp Services, for example, sharing misleading content across Whatsapp. It is also clearly mentioned that people showing harmful conduct towards others will no more be allowed to use Whatsapp Services. Whatsapp has the right to terminate/ban your account without giving any warnings to you.

Data is stored outside of the Country

Whatsapp has mentioned in the new Terms of Service that our(refers to Whatsapp users) personal data(distribute content and information) is stored on data centers and systems outside our country. It is a similar reason for what a lot of Chinese Apps got banned in India. So, what will be the Indian Government's take over Whatsapp?

Facebook's All-in-one Messenger

Whatsapp has mentioned that it sharing our data with affiliated companies i.e., Facebook. The point to be noted is that the data is being shared to provide integrations that will enable us to connect Whatsapp experience with other Facebook Company Products i.e., Messenger for sure. Keep in mind that Facebook has recently launched Cross-app messaging service in Messenger and Instagram, and that's what they are trying to do with Whatsapp. 

They are creating a Messenger that will be able to communicate a person with Instagram, Whatsapp, or Messenger. And if this happens, it will be a game-changer for Facebook.

Your Contacts are not Secured on Whatsapp

This is not a new change in Whatsapp's Terms of Service but still, I thought to share it with you. As soon as you allow Whatsapp to see your contacts, it uploads all the contacts from your address book onto its servers. These uploaded contacts include the persons using Whatsapp and the persons that are not. What they do with these contacts? They target these contacts with marketings and tend to make them use Whatsapp and other Facebook services.

Basic Information 

To create your Whatsapp account, you need to enter your Mobile Number, and if you want you can upload a profile picture. I am not questioning this information, as I know without a phone number it will be impossible for Whatsapp to remember you.

Whatsapp see your Status

Whastapp has mentioned in its privacy policy that if you choose to upload status, you are giving Whatsapp permissions to view and use your Whatsapp status to understand your behavior. And that's what they need to enhance their advertisement services.

Don't share your Location on Whatsapp

Whatsapp has mentioned in its Privacy policy that if you chose to share your location with anyone in your chats, you are also sharing it with Whatsapp, which can be later on used for marketing purposes.

Don't think that if you do not share your location with anyone, then you are safe. It is also mentioned that Whatsapp can try to fetch your location based on your Device's IP and other info.

Sweety, Salty and Dangerous Cookies

Whatsapp has mentioned that they use several cookies on their web-based services. Cookies are often used to store our login information and some other static data that make a web-page load fast. But often cookies can be dangerous as they can collect your browsing history and other sensitive information. I will write an article on it soon.

The End Notes

Whatsapp has the biggest user base among all the text messaging app. And now Whatsapp is planning to make some profit from it. Facebook needs to think about User's safety along with their profit.

That's all in this article. I hope you liked it. If you have any questions or suggestions, please comment below. Do share this article with your friends, mates, and buddies. Have a good one.

Cheers!