Yeah, that is a very good point. As consumers we need to demand more ethical reporting. Further, we should be demanding some mechanism to remove unethical reporting from our social news sites (like HN). This sort sort of moderation is ripe for abuse, but I don't think there is an alternative. Social media has proven that crowd consensus does not select for truthful or in-depth reporting.

Unfortunately, it's likely we'll never get a rigorous proof of malfeasance. Thus do you go with WhatsApp as a homosexual in Russia or Iran, or as protestor in Hong Kong against the Chinese government, given that Facebook has given us plenty of reasons to distrust them?

I'm not saying to trust Facebook. I think it is wise not to trust them. Just because I don't trust Facebook doesn't mean that I should assume by default that every allegation against Facebook is true.

Except the landscape here is: it is known to be true, or it is unknown and should be assumed to be true.

I don't trust Facebook and thus I wouldn't trust WhatsApp. That has nothing to do with whether or not it matters if specific allegations against Facebook are true.