The KAUST Information Technology Department blog
04 February, 2021
WhatsApp users were recently notified of the app’s data-sharing practices with Facebook, and many have begun to seek alternatives. This article gives you a summary of WhatsApp’s recent policy update and a reminder for you to be a Human Firewall.
Is WhatsApp safe?
Following a change in WhatsApp’s privacy policy, which saw the removal of a passage that allowed users to opt out of sharing WhatsApp account information with parent company Facebook, numerous users started switching over to other messaging apps. Signal being the most popular alternative for various reasons.
As these alerts have circulated, privacy advocates within the KAUST community have raised concerns about the move and contacted KAUST IT for comments and suggestions.
Though WhatsApp clearly states in their policy that they can’t read messages sent from one user to another, in wake of their policy update, we would like to remind the KAUST community that sharing KAUST data on apps other than KAUST provided apps may jeopardize the safety and security of our data. We want to take this opportunity to also remind you to always be mindful when accepting privacy policies and be aware of the different app permissions on your devices.
Since WhatsApp, Messenger, Signal, or other popular messaging apps that you may use, may not have contractual obligations with KAUST, we strongly suggest you refrain from using them for business communication.
However, using them for personal use is a personal preference and so we advise you to read through privacy policies provided by app makers to understand what data is collected and shared.
Lastly, protect yourself from Social Engineering attacks by being alert and aware. No matter what messaging platform you use, always be sure to know who is on the other side and think twice before you share.
Be a Human Firewall!
KAUST IT
More on WhatsApp:
WhatsApp’s privacy policy update does not indicate a new data-sharing policy – WhatsApp has been sharing information on most of its users with Facebook since a major update to its policy in August 2016. The now-removed clause referred to WhatsApp’s offer of allowing users to opt out of sharing data with Facebook at that time, which closed after a 30-day period; users who opted out will continue to be exempt from the Facebook data-sharing arrangement.
Among the data WhatsApp shares with Facebook are users’ locations, IP addresses, phone numbers, device battery level, browser information and several other categories.
The company has started to warn users in a pop-up notification that they “need to accept these updates to continue using WhatsApp” after 8 February 2021. If users would rather not consent, the notification directs users to its online help center “if you would prefer to delete your account”.
