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WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

reuters.com

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Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#191

Post by Bakary »

londons_explore wrote: post #15

I really don't understand facebook's approach to this change... Whatsapp is part of facebook, the most data driven of companies. Surely they wrote 10 variations on the 'please accept the new T&C's' screen, and did A/B testing on each, user studies, etc. And they wouldn't have deployed if there was any risk to their business... Yet it seems the users hate it enough that there is a risk to their business... So what wen…

They saw the number of users who actually migrated, and how the negative media reaction dissipated quickly, and realized that it was barely a blip on their radar. They have years of experience introducing changes and waiting out the scandal period. They know they can do anything without much in the way of consequences.

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#192

Post by saurik »

londons_explore wrote: post #22

As I understand it, the actual T&C change is pretty minor (the ability for Facebook to have the contents of your messages on their server only in the case you are talking to a business which uses Facebook for commercial messaging) Since this change seems pretty minor, why can't Whatsapp cancel the T&C changes, make a big announcement that they have caved to user demands, and then get some third party to host their co…

Or why the hell can't all the "omg the sky is falling and Facebook is so horrible" people on this thread just understand any of the numerous places this has been explained and not make out like something of actual interest about the protocol or even the client has changed? The shear amount of misinformation being spread about this topic on Hacker News is ridiculously disappointing and entirely unbefitting of its supposedly enlightened audience, and the number of people I--as an actual privacy and security researcher--have had to talk out of switching from WhatsApp to something actually bad for their use cases due to all of this anti-WhatsApp FUD is insane.

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#193

Post by TrianguloY »

If I don't contact any WhatsApp Business (only personal numbers from friends or relatives), I live in Europe, and I don't have Facebook: which changes will the new privacy policy imply for me?

All the news I see are mixing opinions and facts, and all the official sources I check specifically say that only apply for communications with WhatsApp Business accounts, so I'm really intrigued as to what the changes really are on my situation.

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#194

Post by justusthane »

lxgr wrote: post #187
quantummkv wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The outrage is due to Facebook being involved. No one (very rightfully) trusts Facebook with their data. I doubt there would have been any outrage at this level if an independent WhatsApp was doing this.

> The outrage is due to Facebook being involved. Does that make spreading what's effectively disinformation ok, though? I'd argue that there are more than enough angles to legitimately criticize Facebook. Why make one up?

No, it's legitimate to be a WhatsApp user and to not want Facebook to have more of your data.

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#195

Post by hansel_der »

throwaway123x2 wrote: post #141
egwor wrote: post #14

I'm so disappointed in this. Whatsapp is a functional tool. It was successful since it worked. Facebook has entirely failed to utilise it - to allow external systems to connect in so that businesses can do business on there. The voice calls are also a disaster. They've now come along to start messing with the privacy to start selling ads. It is insane that they're able to make such a mess of this. Is there a word for…

Whatsapp voice calls are pretty much the only way I can communicate with foreign family. Actually even locally, sometimes whatsapp calls are much better over wifi than cell calls over towers, it's kind of ridiculous. I don't even bother calling frequent contacts over cell any more.

huh. your cell network must be pretty bad.

i recall only one time where whatsapp voice was ok-ish (better then regular cellphone) quality but the lag totally killed the conversation. when someone calls me via xy-voice i usually deny it and call them back via cell. it became a meme that only cheapos do this some time ago.

international might be different as quality and lag issues are more prevalent and money is usually what keeps the conversation short.

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#196

Post by justusthane »

sprkwd wrote: post #96
pmlnr wrote: post #90

A group of my friends asked to set up a groupchat recently, our requirements varied. Among them: - needs to be simple (not all of them are techies) - need to be possible to run on desktop without any mobile need - not Facebook (my requirement) So I went and set an XMPP server up on the same machine I have my email and webserver, and wrote a quick guide on how to install blabber.im (a Conversations fork), and register…

That doesn't feel simple. I installed Signal.

Yes, Signal is good, but the parent said that one of their criteria was "need to be possible to run on desktop without any mobile need". Signal doesn't meet that.

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#198

Post by hansel_der »

Chris2048 wrote: post #121
egwor wrote: post #14

I'm so disappointed in this. Whatsapp is a functional tool. It was successful since it worked. Facebook has entirely failed to utilise it - to allow external systems to connect in so that businesses can do business on there. The voice calls are also a disaster. They've now come along to start messing with the privacy to start selling ads. It is insane that they're able to make such a mess of this. Is there a word for…

Does Telegram not work? I disagree that WA is mainly popular due to functionality. Yes, it works, but it was mainly network effect (much like FB).

telegram works fine.

can even use it from pc/tablet if i misplaced my phone ;)

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#199

Post by drummer »

pera wrote: post #167
conradev wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, that is entirely incorrect: > When WhatsApp launched a major update to its privacy policy in August 2016, it started sharing user information and metadata with Facebook. At that time, the messaging service offered its billion existing users 30 days to opt out of at least some of the sharing. If you chose to opt out at the time, WhatsApp will continue to honor that choice. The feature is long gone from the app set…

> WhatsApp will continue to honor that choice. That's good news but I can't find this stated anywhere in their policy: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/updates/privacy-policy/?lang=... It seems like an important thing to mention.

After all the Facebook scandals you really trust them to honor that choice?

Re: WhatsApp to move ahead with privacy update despite backlash

#200

Post by hansel_der »

smashah wrote: post #119

Too big to fail. WhatsApp should be transferred to something like the UN. It is no longer a cool startup/app. It is the main communication infrastructure for the majority of the planet. Yet it's in the hand of unblinking cyborgs.

> It is the main communication infrastructure for the majority of the planet.

sure? afaik whatsapp is "only" domniant in five-eyes, europe and latin-america but thats not where the majority of ppl live.

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