WhatsApp will now share information, including phone numbers, with its parent company, Facebook. The messaging compnay has updated its terms and conditions and has notified its users about the change. It noted that the shared information will be used to show users targeted advertisements and offer relevant friend requests to users when they surf Facebook. However, WhatsApp has stated that it will not show banner ads or allow spam on its messaging platform. Further, Users have 30 days to decide if they will to opt out of having their information being used for targeted advertisements. However, their data will still be shared with Facebook nonetheless
In its official blog, the company states, “we want to explore ways for you to communicate with businesses that matter to you too, while still giving you an experience without third-party banner ads and spam. Whether it's hearing from your bank about a potentially fraudulent transaction, or getting notified by an airline about a delayed flight, many of us get this information elsewhere, including in text messages and phone calls. We want to test these features in the next several months, but need to update our terms and privacy policy to do so.”
Further, WhatsApp has said that the user’s messages will not be shared on Facebook for others to see. It has reminded users that it has rolled out end-to-end encryption, so only sender and the receiver can see the messages. It has also stated that the phone numbers will not given, sold, or shared with advertisers.
