Srinagar: The new privacy policy announced by WhatsApp has led to many users deleting the app from their phones and switching to other options. The users are afraid that their personal data is no longer secure as WhatsApp will now share their data with third-party applications from February 8, when the new privacy police comes into effect.
One such WhatsApp user who is no longer on WhatsApp, Raqeeb Ahmad, said, “When Facebook acquired WhatsApp some five years ago, it was told to the world very clearly by FB officials that Facebook and WhatsApp will not share data with each other, as both are separate, but the new policy does opposite of what was told. Now not only WhatsApp data will be shared with Facebook in the name of “integration” but also with affiliated companies of Facebook. WhatsApp will share your IP address, data, and much more.”
He added that Facebook can now republish the data which is shared via WhatsApp, which also means the data will be stored.
Many users are now shifting to other apps due to lack of privacy protection. Like Srinagar resident Sadaf, who told Kashmir Reader, “The new privacy policy of WhatsApp is not unacceptable. It provides open access of our data to other parties. I can’t trust such an app, so I along with many of my friends have decided to uninstall this app.”
both Android and IOS users received the notification from WhatsApp about the new changes in privacy policy and terms of conditions. This notification told users that their data will be shared with Facebook.
Since the new update, WhatsApp users are unhappy with the new privacy policy. Many users wrote on social media sites that they feel insecure in using WhatsApp after the new update. Privacy experts have also raised alarm at this new privacy policy.
On January 4, WhatsApp users received a notification from Facebook-owned WhatsApp which asked its users to either accept the new privacy policy and terms of conditions or lose their WhatsApp accounts. The deadline given to users was February 8.
Under the new privacy policy and terms of conditions, WhatsApp would share mobile device information, IP addresses, transactions data and other information like how users interact with others on WhatsApp and other applications.

Naveed Ahmad Najar