WhatsApp, a messenger app that Facebook acquired in 2014, is changing its privacy policy on February 8. From then on, the app will share the information of users interacting with businesses on its platform with its parent Facebook.
The information includes users' profile names and pictures, location, online status and activity, and more. If you accept the latest updates, you will consent WhatsApp to share your personal information with its family of companies.
If you don't consent, well then WhatsApp will delete your account from its servers. Since the messaging giant announced this update, many users are flocking to alternate texting apps like Signal.
According to a Reuters report, Signal has logged more than 800,000 downloads since WhatsApp's announcement. This may or may not have been boosted by Elon Musk's tweet 'use Signal' a couple of days ago.
The Signal is a cross-platform messaging service very much similar to WhatsApp, except it doesn't share your data with Facebook. The chats and video calls on the app are encrypted end-to-end, meaning no one can read/listen to your conversations, not even Signal.
Why can't Signal become like WhatsApp?
Good question, what is stopping the platform from profit-making by selling your data? Well, the answer lies in its principles. Signal is a registered non-profit company and relies on donations to operate. And no, like other free apps, it does not show you ads to make money. Like we mentioned, making money is not its objective.
If you have made your mind to move, then here's a step-by-step description of how to use Signal.
How to use Signal
If you want, you can delete your WhatsApp chats by tapping on 'edit' in the conversation page and then tapping on delete.
(Edited by : Jomy)
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