From February 8, 2021, WhatsApp will set a new data protection policy that will certainly disrupt IT security. In fact, users of this application outside of Europe are forced to share their data with Facebook. Anyone who does not accept these terms of use can no longer use the service. What about computer security for those who stay there?
Personal data shared with Facebook
Various information about WhatsApp users is passed on to Facebook. This is account registration information, information about mobile devices, telephone numbers, transaction data, information about interaction habits with other users, and the IP address.
Note, however, that the collection of this information is based on the consent of the user. Indeed, cybersecurity uses open source applications like Signal and Telegram to prevent the sale and sharing of confidential or personal information without users' knowledge.
The consequences of the new terms of use
If you stay on WhatsApp, user information from Facebook, WhatsApp and their business partners will be used for segmentation. In this way, users can quickly get commercial proposals that match their conversation or habit on the WhatsApp platform. You should know that with this segmentation, the seller can get straight to the point. Instead of making business offers to 10,000 people to get a sale, it can get 8 out of 10 people to buy a product. This data is therefore worth gold for a company.
A computer attack threat
You should know that there is not 100% security when using the internet, especially through social networks, which are currently a major target of computer hackers. Security is just a compromise between risks, threats, vulnerabilities, and reality. With this change to WhatsApp's privacy policy, apps no longer really guarantee users' privacy. In fact, they are not immune to computer attacks. It is worth remembering that WhatsApp has already been the victim of an attack in which victims lost control of their phones.
Is migrating to another platform a solution?
Some users were not happy with this new usage policy and preferred to switch platforms to avoid selling their personal information. On the other hand, it is always better to find out about it before migrating to another application, as the same causes can have the same effects on the new application. Especially when the platform has as many followers as it does on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Regardless, almost all free platforms sell information to their customers so that they can get relevant information. These customers use this information, gathered as a business, to sell, or manage, or run a business or even a land.
