WhatsApp wants to share your number with Facebook and companies – L’Express

The encrypted app WhatsApp, used by more than one billion people worldwide, has updated its terms of use. On his blog (in English), instant messaging, says it will make two major changes, reports Le Monde.

First, users will now receive messages sent directly by companies. Then the application will share -unless it opposent- users to the Facebook phone numbers, which bought WhatsApp in 2014 to $ 19 billion.

Targeted Advertisements

If WhatsApp promises that no “independent third party advertising banner” will be accepted, the company still expects to open its doors to companies that will be able to directly send messages to users. Way-calling. “You may receive information on the status of your flight for a trip to come, an invoice for your purchase, or notification for next,” said the company on his blog.

And to clarify, a few lines later, these companies will also messages “contain an offer for something that might interest you.” Clear? These could be targeted advertisements. On this point, WhatsApp remains unclear. Impossible to know whether these messages are integrated in group conversations, private conversations, they will be clearly identifiable as coming from brands or when the changes take effect.

The shared telephone number with Facebook

The American company does not explain either how it can integrate “targeted advertising” -which you are supposed to match personnellement- while WhatsApp conversations are fully encrypted. Meaning that they are in principle only visible to the transmitter and the receiver or receivers.

Screenshot of a private conversation where encryption end to end is on. This protection ensures that neither WhatsApp or any third n is able to see or hear your conversations, audio or written or uploaded files, photos, video etc.

Express

the answer is perhaps to be found in the second “innovation” in accordance with WhatsApp: sharing your number with Facebook headquarters A service that, according to the company, will “make suggestions. products and view offers and relevant advertising. “in clear? the information compiled from Facebook and WhatsApp accounts will offer you the same kind of targeted advertising, probably on Facebook, or on the two brackets.

encrypting maintained conversations

the email application still trying to reassure users by ensuring that encryption of conversations will be maintained and that Facebook or any other actor will therefore not have access either to your conversations, photos or videos, or account information.

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As noted by Le Monde , it will nevertheless be possible to oppose that the information in your WhatsApp and Facebook accounts to be shared.

Either at the opening of WhatsApp, when the new conditions of use will be displayed. At this time, you must click on “Read” and place the text to the bottom to uncheck the box authorizing the transfer of your data to Facebook. Either by going to the settings, “account” menu, and unchecking the “Share information account”.

A solution should not you guard against “corporate messages” on WhatsApp or even targeted advertising on Facebook.