WhatsApp to share user contact info with Facebook
Posted on: 26/Aug/2016 5:04:17 PM
According to WhatsApp�s recent announcement, the global messaging platform will share its users� phone numbers with its parent company, Facebook. This indirectly means that WhatsApp users will be seeing more of targeted ads on Facebook henceforth, however not on the messaging platform itself.
This is a very little initiative, but will bring a significant shift for WhatsApp. To note, the messaging platform had promised complete privacy of all its one billion users across the world. WhatsApp users are given with a limited time period for them to opt out of this information sharing with Facebook. They need to take a step to uncheck a box on Facebook for the same. It is also to be noted that Facebook will not post any phone number on the social media platform, and neither will it share the contact details with anyone.
Ever since WhatsApp acquired Facebook for a sum of $21.8, the social media platform has been avid about making the best use of the messaging platform to generate money. However, Facebook, as promised to the WhatsApp�s co-founders, will respect the privacy of all its users and refrain from popping ads.
On Thursday, WhatsApp had announced a glimpse of its plans about its privacy policies and terms of service that users need to agree. This is the very first revision made in these policies, while the previous edit was done in 2012 when Facebook acquired WhatsApp.
According to what WhatsApp executives had stated, this messaging platform can now be used for reservation, updating status delivery, etc. Companies are also free to share marketing messages to individual customers. At the same time, users are free to block any contact. WhatsApp will anyway not allow traditional display ads on its platform. In its summary of new policies, WhatsApp states that it does not want to give its users a spammy experience.
There is yet another change which is controversial. WhatsApp states that it will be sharing users� mobile numbers and device information like operating system, smartphone characteristics, etc with Facebook. The company claims that Facebook will make use of this data to identify WhatsApp users on Facebook and recommend friends and suggested advertising.
