Today WhatsApp wished it's users good morning. Accept the updated terms and conditions or say goodbye. (Thread 1/n) It is effective from Feb 8, 2021.
There are seperate hyperlinks for terms and privacy policies. Both these hyperlinks lead to multiple pages of contracts written in a very jargonised language. A few things I noted : google.com/amp/s/tech.hin…
The information 'we' provide to #WhatsApp include our messages. Also WhatsApp claims that it is end to end encrypted BUT,
BUT if your friend / enemy / boyfriend / family or anyone is offline and your message sent to him cannot be delivered #immediately, it will be saved on #WhatsApp servers for 30 days.
Also: When you forward media msg in #WhatsApp that media is stored temporarily in encrypted form on it's servers to aid in more efficient delivery of additional forwards. Tada! (Consider a thousand times before sending any images; news anchors can officially read your chats.)
#WhatsApp can also read your contacts list. And incase someone who doesn't use WhatsApp is on that list, Whatsapp will manage the contact information "in a way that ensures those contacts cannot be identified by it."
WhatsApp also collect your device's hardware model, operating system information, battery level, signal strength, app version, browser information, mobile network, connection information, including phone number, mobile operator details. Remember Jio and Facebook deal?
Even if you don't give #WhatsApp permission to use your location, they use IP addresses and other information like phone number area codes to estimate your general location. (Tip : People in love, planning to elope, do that once you delete your WhatsApp.)
#WhatsApp can share your information with third party apps but on terms and conditions decided by it. I just wish users had a say?
#WhatsApp is not the only service you can use. There is signal, telegram and other channels which are less jargonised when it comes to terms and conditions.
Let us at least have a choice. No good ever came from monopoly.
google.com/amp/s/time.com…
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