WhatsApp numbers to be shared with FB

WhatsApp to share user's phone nos with Facebook
New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) Messaging service WhatsApp has
updated its global privacy policy, under which it will now
share phone numbers of users with its parent company,
Facebook.
While the move will help Facebook offer more targeted
advertisements on its own platform, WhatsApp will continue to
be ad-free, a WhatsApp spokesperson told PTI.
He added that this is the first time when WhatsApp has
updated user privacy policy after being acquired by Facebook
in 2014 in a USD 19-billion deal.
Privacy advocates had raised concerns that Facebook would
start mining WhatsApp accounts for data. However, both the
companies have maintained that WhatsApp would operate
separately from the parent company and that its user data
would not be shared without users' consent.
WhatsApp has over one billion users globally, with a
significant chunk coming from India. Facebook also runs
photo-sharing platform, Instagram.
"As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp
receives information from, and shares information with, this
family of companies. We may use the information we receive
from them, and they may use the information we share with them
to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customise,
support, and market our services and their offerings," the
spokesperson said.
He added this helps improve infrastructure and delivery
systems, secure systems and fight spam, abuse, or infringement
activities.
WhatsApp will begin to "coordinate" accounts with Facebook
by sharing WhatsApp users' mobile phone numbers and device
information like the type of operating system and other
details about the smartphone, he said.
This means that if a person has the apps of Facebook and
WhatsApp installed on the same device, even with different
phone numbers, Facebook will now be able to map the two in the
background using the basic device information.
"However, it is important to note that WhatsApp messages
will not be shared onto Facebook for others to see nor will it
be shared with third parties. In fact, Facebook will not use
user's WhatsApp messages for any purpose other than to assist
us in operating and providing our services. The communication
on Whatsapp will continue to be encrypted end-to-end," he
said.
Asked about how Facebook will use the information, the
spokesperson said: "We may use the information on Facebook for
things like making suggestions about friends, content or
showing relevant offers and ads.