In January WhatsApp announced that it is changing its data policies so that the users only options are either to agree to their data policy and make data about them available to Facebook, the owner of WhatsApp, and any of its chosen third parties or not use the service.
WhatsApp also removed their famous line “Privacy is in our DNA” from their terms and conditions sparking speculation that Facebook is ready for full takeover of WhatsApp. Considering data management practices of Facebook so far, this should not come as a surprise to anyone.
Admitting to this kind of policy change publicly meant that people were leaving WhatsApp in droves and testing other messaging apps on the market crashing Signal, a messaging service recommended by Elon Musk.
Want to change your messaging service as well? Here are the top tips to consider.
- End-to-end encryption in a messaging service is now a standard.
- Other up-to-date security features are disappearing messages, view-once media messages, encrypted profiles, an incognito keyboard switch for Android to keep Gboard from sending typing history back to Google, backups that don’t default to unencrypted storage in Google Drive or Apple iCloud.
- If the coding is open source all the better. A public source code makes for a more secure application.
- The app is open about their data management policy and doesn’t tell you to either agree to whatever they would like to do with your data or not to use the app.
- The app has high reviews in tech magazines and blogs.
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