With WhatsApp new notification, talks have been making rounds about using Signal or Telegram or other platforms like Gab et al. However, the user community is forgetting their power to make businesses bend to their demand. Today, its WhatsApp, tomorrow if Signal or Telegram or other such platforms start acting in the same bullish fashion as WhatsApp, would uer community still demand a switch? How fast and how soon can they force a new platform with security and privacy features built in?
Apparently, there have been another news of WhatsApp chat being posted on another platform, though WhatsApp claims on end-to-end encryption that even they can’t break in.
Also, user community should additionally recall and reconsider one aspect that all their chats (supposedly encrypted) and associated media is backed up on their personal accounts – Google Drive, iCloud or other such cloud platform that they consider to backup their data to (with their own choice). The users don’t have a clue who would be spying on their data there.More so, the information user community shares on Facebook and other Social Media platforms is way more “Privacy Concern” than the users actually thing of.
Anyways, coming back to the WhatsApp Controversy that is current at this time. In this case most of the users are talking of switching but not eradicating the core issue of making WhatsApp meet their ask. They are forgetting the core two points to be remembered –
1. Opt out from Binding Arbitration Clause. This will give user the chance to challenge WhatsApp legally through a court
2. Do Not use WhatsApp to communicate with Businesses
With the latest update to Privacy and Data Sharing policy changes that will come into effect from February 8, 2021; WhatsApp has announced to share data with “Parent” company Facebook. Now, the fine line here is to understand that this is almost like outsourcing Data Management to Facebook. However, considering the particular clause where if a Business is going to be using Facebook as the platform for Business and Promotions plus business dealings, WhatsApp communications with such Businesses will be stored, Managed and used by Facebook for benefit of such Businesses (as it sounds preliminarily).
Here, if the user community opts out of Binding Arbitration clause, it will gain the power to force WhatsApp to introduce a feature in the app to alert the user of Facebook managed data when the user starts WhatsApp discussion with a Business using Facebook platform. Along with that, the user community can also force WhatsApp to introduce another feature where user can stop that discussion with such business and demand deletion of any data that might have been stored. This is as per the prevailing Privacy laws “Consent” clause where when alerted, user consents to the terms of use and continuing discussion or “Right to Forget” where when alerted, user demands deletion of data and any references to the discussion with such business.
Overall, if the two points mentioned in this message above are taken care of, User Community will be more at power to make WhatsApp kneel down to demands ensuring more privacy.
