WhatsApp was an indigenous application until Facebook purchased it up to 19 Billion USD after the CEO of WhatsApp had declined the offer from Google Inc. Since then the application gained popularity across the world. Millions (29 million) of messages are shared daily on WhatsApp. The net worth of WhatsApp is exceedingly greater than NASA. But people aren’t concerned about the Encyclopedia of WhatsApp. All they care about is the privacy entailed by the application until in the recent most announcement by Facebook new privacy policy was introduced. This announcement on privacy policy stirred the debate amongst the masses about their trustworthiness about WhatsApp. What went wrong on account of that policy? Was it really that much worse or it was just perceived as bad by the masses? It is more like giving a review about Wiley X Men Sunglasses. If you give a negative review to someone who likes these glasses, he/she would definitely think about it after that. Anyhow, what are the common perceptions in the minds of the masses about the newly released privacy policy of WhatsApp?
The masses somehow interpreted the privacy policy in such speculations,
- Facebook would read Private Conversations.
- Facebook would read Group Chat.
- Facebook would gain access to Contact Details.
- Facebook would gain access to Data Storage.
- Facebook would monitor the WhatsApp Activities.
All that masses are interpreting is true or not? Based on these speculations, the masses suddenly went for the alternative messaging applications to defy the Privacy Policy that allegedly gives access to Facebook about the mentioned aspect. Though, Facebook & WhatsApp collectively and categorically have denied the speculations prevailing about the new policy. They have categorically issued a Clarification Statement on all these Speculations about the new policy.
Clarification Statement from WhatsApp & Facebook goes to deny categorically about speculation states these points,
- Facebook cannot read Private Conversations.
- Facebook cannot read Group Chat.
- Facebook cannot gain access to Contact Details.
- Facebook cannot gain access to Data Storage.
- Facebook cannot monitor WhatsApp Activities.
Facebook and WhatsApp have done with the Clarification party to deny the so-called speculations. But the ball is in the Public’s Court. Would it change the opinion of the masses? Would it let the masses defy their prior perceptions about Privacy Policy? People already have started to move toward better options for messaging applications.
In the last few days, a two-word tweet made by billionaire Elon Musk was trending: Use Signal. It signaled as an alternative to WhatsApp. People took that tweet vehemently. Because in that number of downloads of Signal Application were observed as to meet the unprecedented hike. How did it work out for the masses to pay heed to the alternatives for WhatsApp? If your friend is complaining about sports spec that broke out during the match and you recommend him/her something better like Use Wiley X Sports Sunglasses. Your friend would definitively pay heed to that recommendation. More people were using downloading Signal as an alternative to WhatsApp for messaging purposes. What is a Signal in the first place? What are the privacy policies and working credentials of Signal that are allegedly outranking the privacy policies of WhatsApp?
Well, Signal is an End-to-End Encrypted Application used for communication and messaging. The privacy policy of Signal seemingly, at this point after the announcement by the newer WhatsApp Privacy Policy, is better than WhatsApp. It doesn’t incorporate any hidden parameter for surveillance or unnecessary access to personal activities or details. That’s the reason, the masses around the world, at once, switched to this alternative. Perception plays an important role in brand building as the brand defiance. Signal has a better perception at the moment in the minds of WhatsApp due to better safety and privacy credentials.
Another alternative circulating at the moment is another messaging application name Telegram. It has a somewhat similar scenario in the hike of its downloads and hike in its usability across the world. Does Telegram have a better privacy policy as a messaging application? Apparently, Telegram is also an End-to-End Encrypted Application for messaging purposes. Though, it doesn’t have any Status Options like WhatsApp. But it has some other interesting features embedded in it.