# WhatsApp users will have to agree to new terms to continue using the service



## thetechfreak (Jan 8, 2021)

> WhatsApp's users were greeted by a notification earlier today about the company updating its terms and privacy policy for users and businesses. The pop-up alert included three key updates about the change in terms and privacy policies. WhatsApp's users can choose to agree to the terms and continue using the service but the changes in the terms and privacy policy will be in effect February 8 onwards.
> 
> 
> 
> The notification alert states that the update to terms and privacy policy includes more information about the messaging service and how it processes a user’s data. Besides, businesses can now have a look at how to use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats. The new update to terms also elaborates on how WhatsApp partners with Facebook for integration across





Source: WhatsApp updates its terms and privacy policy and you may want to read the fine print | Digit


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## Desmond (Jan 8, 2021)

Who didn't see this coming? Did you really think Facebook acquired WhatsApp just to sit on it?


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## thetechfreak (Jan 9, 2021)

Got the pop-up again today. Not planning to accept till last day. 

Sent from my vivo 1807 using Tapatalk


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## SaiyanGoku (Jan 9, 2021)

Would delete my whatsapp account soon.


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## thetechfreak (Jan 10, 2021)

A funny outcome of this is Elon musk asking his Twitter followers to use Signal led to the rise in stock of a company that's completely unrelated

Source : Elon Musk told his followers to 'use Signal,' leading to 1,100% surge in unrelated stock with similar name

Sent from my vivo 1807 using Tapatalk


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## Vyom (Jan 10, 2021)

^^ Yup. That was funny.
Also, since I quit WA altogether (which I did to FB couple of days back), I have following plan:
1. Take backups of important contacts. Manually.
2. Delete all chat history.
3. Restrict all permissions to WA.
4. Disable cloud backup feature. (That I should have done long time ago anyway).
5. Not connect anyone on WA, and even if I do, don't talk any personal information.

One last thing I would also do, is to provide Telegram contact information on my WA status.


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## thetechfreak (Jan 10, 2021)

Meanwhile private group chats and contacts of whatsapp showing up on Google Search WhatsApp’s Private Groups Can Be Seen by Anyone via Google





Vyom said:


> ^^ Yup. That was funny.
> Also, since I quit WA altogether (which I did to FB couple of days back), I have following plan:
> 1. Take backups of important contacts. Manually.
> 2. Delete all chat history.
> ...


Never did enable cloud chat. And glad I didn't. Knew there could be a catch. Good thing I didn't upload all chats and media in plaintext to Google. 

Sent from my vivo 1807 using Tapatalk


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## kartikoli (Jan 11, 2021)

I am going to use DP that says moving to Telegram/Signal so people can find me there before deleting WA, though its really hard to switch but we have to do it.


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## Nerevarine (Jan 12, 2021)

*lifestyle.livemint.com/news/talkin...-from-whatsapp-to-signal-111610359527200.html
lmao


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## RumbaMon19 (Jan 12, 2021)

^^ 
Lol, NASA and UNESCo, Never give awards to apps (Rather why shud they, one is a space org. and other is for culture)

That sanskrit code, can not be used for android and iOS app making.

surprising that people got fooled by it.

"Unkills" are also on reddit


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## Desmond (Jan 12, 2021)

RumbaMon19 said:


> "Unkills" are also on reddit


No, but there is a subreddit called /r/theunkillnetwork dedicated to sharing and propagating viral whatsapp messages.


RumbaMon19 said:


> ^^
> Lol, NASA and UNESCo, Never give awards to apps (Rather why shud they, one is a space org. and other is for culture)
> 
> That sanskrit code, can not be used for android and iOS app making.
> ...


Yeah, it's fabricated because Indians tend to react positively to such messages.


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## RumbaMon19 (Jan 12, 2021)

Desmond David said:


> No, but there is a subreddit called /r/theunkillnetwork dedicated to sharing and propagating viral whatsapp messages.



That place is real creep. Full of Pseudo-Patriotism. Like, Half of these cringe messages being shared on whatsapp dont make sense.

It may even become reason for Zuckerberg to make whatsapp subscription based (jk)


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## Desmond (Jan 12, 2021)

RumbaMon19 said:


> That place is real creep. Full of Pseudo-Patriotism. Like, Half of these cringe messages being shared on whatsapp dont make sense.
> 
> It may even become reason for Zuckerberg to make whatsapp subscription based (jk)


Lol. That subreddit was started actually to mock those messages. It actually is a satirical subreddit.


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## aaruni (Jan 16, 2021)

WhatsApp has now delayed the deadline to 15 May. This is extremely clever, IMO, as the users are likely going to accept the prompt whenever it comes up thinking 15 May is a long time away, and then forget about it.

On a different note, maybe we should get together and start a Digit matrix server.


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## Desmond (Jan 16, 2021)

aaruni said:


> WhatsApp has now delayed the deadline to 15 May. This is extremely clever, IMO, as the users are likely going to accept the prompt whenever it comes up thinking 15 May is a long time away, and then forget about it.
> 
> On a different note, maybe we should get together and start a Digit matrix server.


Sure, let me read up on it a bit. See how feasible it is.

Perhaps we can run it on krow dot me.


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## thetechfreak (Jan 17, 2021)

aaruni said:


> WhatsApp has now delayed the deadline to 15 May. This is extremely clever, IMO, as the users are likely going to accept the prompt whenever it comes up thinking 15 May is a long time away, and then forget about it.
> 
> On a different note, maybe we should get together and start a Digit matrix server.


We're more than set with signal though. I can't think of more than 5 names who currently use matrix or advocate for it. 

Sent from my vivo 1807 using Tapatalk


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## aaruni (Jan 17, 2021)

thetechfreak said:


> I can't think of more than 5 names who currently use matrix or advocate for it.



Maybe that's because not enough people know about it.

Maybe Matrix isn't quite ready for daily driver usage, but the fact that its federated makes it so appealing to me.


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## izzikio_rage (Jan 17, 2021)

There is a digit WA group? How does one get in?

Hopefully that moves to signal or discord soon


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## aaruni (Jan 17, 2021)

izzikio_rage said:


> There is a digit WA group? How does one get in?
> 
> Hopefully that moves to signal or discord soon



There is already also a signal and a telegram group. Send a PM to @Desmond David for invites.


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## rockfella (Jan 17, 2021)

kartikoli said:


> I am going to use DP that says moving to Telegram/Signal so people can find me there before deleting WA, though its really hard to switch but we have to do it.


You do that today and telegram will change their policies sooner or later


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## aaruni (Jan 17, 2021)

rockfella said:


> You do that today and telegram will change their policies sooner or later


Hence, something self hosted, ala Matrix


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## kartikoli (Jan 18, 2021)

rockfella said:


> You do that today and telegram will change their policies sooner or later


then will move to other apps  
Its business so there will be adds but my coworker shared her story and i was shocked
She had an argument on WA with her husband and as soon she checkrf FB there were adds from lawyers, second time she was talking about MBA courses and then checks FB, same result. Lastly she was talking to her sister regarding some promotions on a website and she gets an adward on FB yet again so this means they are checking our chat messages in real-time using algorithms. Thats just too much, unless she missed something its really bad to know our 1-1 chats are not secure


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## rockfella (Jan 19, 2021)

kartikoli said:


> then will move to other apps
> Its business so there will be adds but my coworker shared her story and i was shocked
> She had an argument on WA with her husband and as soon she checkrf FB there were adds from lawyers, second time she was talking about MBA courses and then checks FB, same result. Lastly she was talking to her sister regarding some promotions on a website and she gets an adward on FB yet again so this means they are checking our chat messages in real-time using algorithms. Thats just too much, unless she missed something its really bad to know our 1-1 chats are not secure


This is very common now. You can uninstall a hidden facebook app (that is installed in probably all phone even if you don't have facebook installed) .. it might help.. 
Whatsapp is free so we are the product


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## topgear (Feb 6, 2021)

kartikoli said:


> then will move to other apps
> Its business so there will be adds but my coworker shared her story and i was shocked
> She had an argument on WA with her husband and as soon she checkrf FB there were adds from lawyers, second time she was talking about MBA courses and then checks FB, same result. Lastly she was talking to her sister regarding some promotions on a website and she gets an adward on FB yet again so this means they are checking our chat messages in real-time using algorithms. Thats just too much, unless she missed something its really bad to know our 1-1 chats are not secure



Victim of Targeted Advertising but it's everywhere nowadays 
*edu.gcfglobal.org/en/thenow/what-is-targeted-advertising/1/
And whatsapp sending user data to FB for years :
*techcrunch.com/2016/08/25/whatsapp...cebook-for-ad-targeting-heres-how-to-opt-out/


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## Anorion (Feb 8, 2021)

A lot of the problems around privacy here because we don't have data privacy laws in place, and the bill has been committee'd


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## thetechfreak (Feb 8, 2021)

Even if there are a lot of bills a lot of data will be shared. Many users I know who've never used Instagram see people they've only ever rarely spoken in whatsapp as suggested.

This happens even if all permissions are switched off. I'm sure many among us also has seen this happen as well. 

Sent from my vivo 1807 using Tapatalk


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## amohit007 (Apr 18, 2021)

I do not agree with the new  WhatsApp policy why they change policy it's very horrible now they use user data for doing many things like ads or share users data with another platform this is not good for us.


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## vidhubhushan (Apr 18, 2021)

amohit007 said:


> I do not agree with the new  WhatsApp policy why they change policy it's very horrible now they use user data for doing many things like ads or share users data with another platform this is not good for us.


they change it because they want money and people are using whatsapp for free so they want to use the data of these people. for them, it is not another platform but the parent company.
as per the current situation, if you don't like it, stop using it and start using something else.


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## Æsoteric Positron (Apr 22, 2021)

kartikoli said:


> then will move to other apps
> Its business so there will be adds but my coworker shared her story and i was shocked
> She had an argument on WA with her husband and as soon she checkrf FB there were adds from lawyers, second time she was talking about MBA courses and then checks FB, same result. Lastly she was talking to her sister regarding some promotions on a website and she gets an adward on FB yet again so this means they are checking our chat messages in real-time using algorithms. Thats just too much, unless she missed something its really bad to know our 1-1 chats are not secure


Wow, that's really shocking, thought WA chats were End to End encrypted.


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## RumbaMon19 (Apr 22, 2021)

Acc. To agreement, only chats between and with buisness account will be used. So if someone doesn't chat with buisness account, theoretically they should not care about it.


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## vidhubhushan (Apr 22, 2021)

RumbaMon19 said:


> Acc. To agreement, only chats between and with buisness account will be used. So if someone doesn't chat with buisness account, theoretically they should not care about it.


all the banks and financial institutions have business accounts on WA. does this means all the interactions including WA banking will be compromised?


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## RumbaMon19 (Apr 22, 2021)

vidhubhushan said:


> all the banks and financial institutions have business accounts on WA. does this means all the interactions including WA banking will be compromised?



According to wa's policy, yes. They need to switch and stop using whatsapp buisness.


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## vidhubhushan (Apr 22, 2021)

RumbaMon19 said:


> According to wa's policy, yes. They need to switch and stop using whatsapp buisness.



and the banks and other financial institutions are conveniently silent


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## RumbaMon19 (Apr 22, 2021)

Why will they go against it,?  In india we don't have any privacy laws like us and eu, more than half the population doesnt know about it.


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## vidhubhushan (Apr 22, 2021)

yes in a way one orgn might get some data about other orgn's customers and can try to get them.


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## Vyom (Apr 28, 2021)

I am sad that due to this ongoing rise of pandemic, WA terms will be the last thing someone would care about.
And in the heat of things will accept the terms. Good strategy of WA to delay the deadline to accept the terms.


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## thetechfreak (May 8, 2021)

Slight update to this news. Apparently they won't delete accounts anymore but inhibit accounts



> WhatsApp will progressively kill features until users agree to the new privacy policy WhatsApp will progressively kill features until users accept new privacy policy



Sent via Tapatalk


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## vidhubhushan (May 11, 2021)

thetechfreak said:


> Slight update to this news. Apparently they won't delete accounts anymore but inhibit accounts
> 
> 
> 
> Sent via Tapatalk


they also said they may delete inactive accounts.
no prizes to guess how regular accounts will turn inactive.


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## imcj (May 11, 2021)

Deleted whatsapp longtime...its a inferior product/service as compared to telegram. A lot of my contacts have also adopted telegram. Thats the only solution to whatsapp .


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## kartikoli (May 15, 2021)

vidhubhushan said:


> they also said they may delete inactive accounts.
> no prizes to guess how regular accounts will turn inactive.


I can confirm that, saw my team member account got deleted when it was inactive since Dec 2020


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## vidhubhushan (May 15, 2021)

kartikoli said:


> I can confirm that, saw my team member account got deleted when it was inactive since Dec 2020


this is a planned strategy to force people to accept or stop using wa


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## Desmond (May 21, 2021)

*techcrunch.com/2021/05/19/india-tells-whatsapp-to-withdraw-its-new-policy-terms/


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## Vyom (May 21, 2021)

It's weird that my family members have been getting this "prompt" to accept new terms, but me myself haven't experienced any prompts.
Maybe they are only sending to unsuspecting users?


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## vidhubhushan (May 21, 2021)

Vyom said:


> It's weird that my family members have been getting this "prompt" to accept new terms, but me myself haven't experienced any prompts.
> Maybe they are only sending to unsuspecting users?


are you sure you or no one on your phone has already accepted it by mistake?


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## Vyom (May 21, 2021)

vidhubhushan said:


> are you sure you or no one on your phone has already accepted it by mistake?


Definitely not. Only I use my phone.


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## vidhubhushan (May 21, 2021)

Vyom said:


> Definitely not. Only I use my phone.


i asked because i have seen 2-3 people clicking on it in haste by mistake while opening wa


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## Desmond (May 21, 2021)

Vyom said:


> It's weird that my family members have been getting this "prompt" to accept new terms, but me myself haven't experienced any prompts.
> Maybe they are only sending to unsuspecting users?


Perhaps because you may have already accepted by mistake?


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## imcj (May 21, 2021)

Desmond David said:


> Perhaps because you may have already accepted by mistake?


Yes. That is the reason. A lot of us, including myself accepted it by mistake and there is no way to revoke acceptance. I have since deleted my whatsapp.


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## Desmond (May 21, 2021)

This guy gives a good analysis of the claims of Whatsapp vs Telegram w.r.t. security and end-to-end encryption.

*germano.dev/whatsapp-vs-telegram/
He also tries to be as unbiased as possible and comments on the state of both of them and tries to consider all possible threats that an end user can face as well as the fallacies regarding end-to-end encryption.


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## Desmond (May 21, 2021)

imcj said:


> Yes. That is the reason. A lot of us, including myself accepted it by mistake and there is no way to revoke acceptance. I have since deleted my whatsapp.


I haven't accepted it yet. I just click on the X button everytime I open Whatsapp. Finally got fed up and uninstalled the app after putting a status message that I will be available on Signal or Telegram.


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