Messaging App giant WhatsApp has joined its Status feature as a way of keeping its users upraised with any updates on what is happening but most importantly, the new features that they will be introducing in the near future.
The interesting element about the introduction of WhatsApp status was that the messaging giant started with addressing the issue that has caused many of their users to leave the application all together and seek new and safer platforms.
Early January, the App released an updated that informed users that their data will be shared with Facebook which happens to be the mother company.
This did not go down well with many users who later sought to join alternative applications. This saw a surge in downloads for Signal and Telegram. With many still looking to abandon the famous “Green App”
The App has now gone on a run to do damage control as many of the users continue to run away from them to what they perceive to be safer platforms.
When ouser visists the status tab on the app, they will see the WhatsApp icon and its four posts, along with the statuses of one’s contacts. The posts are pointers on the new policy. While one reads ‘We are committed to your privacy’, another reads, ‘WhatsApp can’t read or listen to your personal conversations as they’re end-to-end encrypted’. Another post reads ‘WhatsApp can’t see your shared location’ and yet another reads ‘WhatsApp doesn’t share your contacts with Facebook’.
This comes after the messaging app reviewed its privacy policy and asked users to accept the terms and conditions by February 8. Following this the app faced severe backlash from its users and privacy advocates. The App’s users flocked to its rival apps. Signal ended up garnering millions of users in weeks after the backlash.
Statement Released by WhatsApp
On Friday, the Facebook company issued a statement and said that it is giving more time to users to acquaint themselves with the new policy updates. “WhatsApp was built on a simple idea: what you share with your friends and family stays between you. This means we will always protect your personal conversations with end-to-end encryption, so that neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can see these private messages. It’s why we don’t keep logs of who everyone’s messaging or calling. We also can’t see your shared location and we don’t share your contacts with Facebook,” said the Facebook-owned app
“We’re also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp. We’ll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15,” it said.
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