Press Release: Rakuten Viber, one of the world's leading messaging apps, expresses its disapproval of the user privacy changes announced by WhatsApp. Previously, WhatsApp allowed users not to share their phone number with Facebook, but now it will be mandatory. Users must agree to the new terms within 30 days or they will not be able to use their account.
To understand the whole issue for WhatsApp users, we recommend reading interview with one of the founders of WhatsApp, Brian Acton, in Forbes magazine in 2018. In the interview, he talked about the reasons why he left WhatsApp and why he advised people to delete Facebook. “I sold my user privacy for a greater benefit. I made a decision and a compromise. And I have to live with that every day.”
The latest update has completed the integration of WhatsApp with Facebook. Thus, WhatsApp and Facebook become one platform and thus users will be monetized more than before. This should be a warning to those who want to communicate in privacy.
Until the January 4 update, WhatsApp's terms of use stated the following:
- “Respect for your privacy is encoded in our DNA. Since the inception of WhatsApp, we have made sure that our services comply with privacy principles.”
- “Your WhatsApp messages will not be shared with Facebook and will not be seen by anyone else. Facebook will not use your WhatsApp messages in any way other than to enable us to operate and deliver the service.”
Unsurprisingly, these two policies have been deleted.
Unlike Whatsapp, Viber is focused on implementing features that will ensure users safety and privacy for their data. These features include:
- Default encryption on both sides of the communication for private calls and chats, there is no need to set it up in any way. It's easy and clear: no one has access to calls and conversations, except the participants. Not even Viber.
- Received messages are not saved and cloud backup is disabled by default: Users who want to activate cloud backup can do so. But Viber does not keep copies of messages and calls.
- Privacy: Viber offers security features that allow you to send self-destructing messages or have entire conversations closed as secret and allow access only with the use of a PIN code.
- No user data is shared with Facebook: Viber has ended all business relations with Facebook. None informace so they are not and will not be shared with Facebook.
"The latest update to WhatsApp's privacy policy completely suppresses the meaning of the word "privacy". It not only points out how little user privacy means to WhatsApp, but is also proof that we can expect this behavior towards users in the future. Today, more than ever, I am proud of the privacy protection Viber offers and would like to invite everyone to move their communications to Viber, where they are more than just a source of data to be sold to the highest bidder,” said Rakuten CEO Viber Djamel Agaoua.
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