When Facebook bought Whatsapp I hoped against all hope that Whatsapp wouldn't succumb to collecting data from users, and use it so Facebook would strengthen it's add business. It actually scored some kudos when it added end-to-end encryption, a good thing to protect our privacy.
Alas, Whatsapp has announced that it will start collecting data and it will serve it to Facebook in order for it to be able to better able to serve ads on Facebook. So far, they claim that Whatsapp won't be serving ads on the app itself.
Yet since Whatsapp promised it wouldn't serve data to Facebook to begin with, it becomes harder to believe that they'll keep their promise that they won't serve ads in the future. It now becomes a question of when they'll start doing it, and how would they look.
Personally, I liked to use Whatsapp because it respected user privacy by not collecting data. And when it started using full encryption end-to-end, it strengthen it's position as my favorite messaging app. I didn't mind paying the $1 dollar a year if it meant that Whatsapp respected my privacy.
Now, that trust has been shaken. I don't feel comfortable using apps that share my data, and one that change it's policy after promising it wouldn't so makes matter worse.
The hunt for a new messaging app has begun, though I won't be able to stop using Whatsapp fully since some important contacts use and it's our main communication line. So far, Telegram and Line are the ones who have been recommended to me by people I trust. Telegram would be the 1st option, since most of my current contacts have it and it has end-to-end encryption.
Also, it has the option to erase messages after a predetermined time set by the user. Thus, its a very appealing app for me.
Its a bit sad, and disconcerting, to see Whatsapp to make such a move. But its not surprising, since it has to fit the business model of it's parent company, Facebook. Personally, I would rather keep paying the yearly $1 dollar, than have my data being shared to Facebook. And I've the feeling I'm not alone in this.
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