Whatsapp has delayed their privacy policy update following a public outcry against its data sharing practices. It looks like more and more of our digital footprint is now being used to gather data and process it for tailor made ads. This is a stark invasion of privacy, especially when companies now think its ok to snoop around in private chats.
This blatant thirst for our private data is the main reason Facebook has come under fire for sharing Whatsapp data with their parent app. From a business standpoint, Facebook is looking for a way to monetize the popular Whatsapp platform, and one of the easiest ways is to intercept communications and gain access to private information shared amongst the users, and figure out what to market to their ‘target audience’.
This is a great way of pulling in the advertising bucks, but, the only catch is, the user has to consent to the use of their data. Since its announcement, users are fleeing from the service and are opting for other messaging platforms that will not use their private information.
With more than a billion people using Whatsapp worldwide, it will be difficult for users to shift , especially if most of the people they communicate with use the app. In African and Indian markets, the app has special data bundles that allow users to access Whatsapp only which are priced fairly cheaper than other data offerings. Kind of an entanglement of sorts. One thing is for sure.. Whatsapp is not going anywhere anytime soon, what remains to be seen is just how aggressive and invasive will the new privacy policy be..
