Quote: "WhatsApp, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014, does share some limited data with Facebook, including phone numbers. However, the firm has reassured users that messages will always be protected by end-t0-end encryption, which means neither WhatsApp or Facebook can see these private conversations"
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlypage/2021/01/15/whatsapp-d...
They want to know who talks to who. Limited data? What a bunch of horseshit.
Likewise, sharing a limited amount of information with Facebook simply means they don't hoover up every single bit. Perhaps Facebook is not interested in those automated texts you get confirming haircut appointments...
I’m not sure their algorithm is this refined, but it’s not impossible.
These advertisements with half the information about the technology should be illegal.
And since it's a Facebook controlled company a leak like this happening again isn't that improbable.
Quote:
"Cathcart: It’s true that we do have some information about how people use WhatsApp and that we do know, for example, the device ID. We collect this only to secure our services and protect from attacks. When you use WhatsApp and allow access to your phone book, we only see the phone numbers, not the name.
DER SPIEGEL: Do you share these numbers with your parent company Facebook?
Cathcart: No, we don’t. The updated privacy policies will actually not change anything globally in our ability to share data with Facebook."
I don’t see how that “globally” can be true. If one compares the WhatsApp terms of service in the EEA (https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/updates/terms-of-service-eea/...) with those elsewhere (https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/updates/terms-of-service/?lan...), you’ll see the latter adds:
Affiliated Companies. We are part of the Facebook Companies. As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, the Facebook Companies as described in WhatsApp's Privacy Policy, including to provide integrations which enable you to connect your WhatsApp experience with other Facebook Company Products; to ensure security, safety, and integrity across the Facebook Company Products; and to improve your ads and products experience across the Facebook Company Products. Learn more about the Facebook Companies and their terms and policies here.
AFAIK, that addition was what caused the uproar earlier this year.
(Also note the dark pattern in both terms of service that seed confusion as to which are the ones that apply to the EU. In the first sentence, “If you live in the European Region, WhatsApp Ireland Limited provides the Services to you under this Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.”, ‘this’ doesn’t refer to the text you’re reading, but to the texts behind the hyperlinks)