Search results for "WHATSAPP"

German watchdog bans Facebook from processing WhatsApp data

A German privacy watchdog banned Facebook on Tuesday from gathering data on users of its WhatsApp chat app, citing an update to its privacy policy that it said breaches stringent European data protection rules. Hamburg’s data protection commissioner, Johannes Caspar, said he issued an emergency three-month order prohibiting the social network from processing WhatsApp personal […]

South Africa bars WhatsApp from sharing private user data with Facebook

South Africa’s Information Regulator (IR) barred Facebook Inc. from sharing any information it collects from WhatsApp users in the country without prior authorization from the regulator, Reuters reported on Thursday. “WhatsApp cannot, without obtaining prior authorization from the IR, process any contact information of its users for a purpose other than the one for which […]

WhatsApp delays privacy update until May 15

After a hailstorm of controversy, WhatsApp announced on Friday that it will push back its privacy update till May 15, the delay is intended to allow users ample time to review the new conditions. Initially, the update had required people to agree to the new privacy policy by February 8 or see their accounts shutdown […]

WhatsApp denies its privacy update will violate privacy of users

WhatsApp has been at the epicenter of worldwide backlash and controversy in the first week of 2021 following their announcement of updating their privacy policy, which many around the globe found to be too intrusive. Under the terms of the new policy, Facebook will be able to collect users’ data from the app such as […]

Turkish watchdog probes Facebook, WhatsApp over data sharing

Turkey’s competition watchdog on Monday launched an investigation into Facebook and WhatsApp over the messaging application’s changes to its data-sharing rules. The Competition Board also said in a statement that it has ordered a suspension of WhatsApp’s new data collection rules in Turkey. The move came after the messaging application said it was updating its […]

Erdogan becomes first world leader to ditch WhatsApp

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s media office announced Sunday that it will be discarding the popular instant messaging app WhatsApp, following its controversial privacy policy update. Instead, the office said it has decided to switch to Turkish homegrown application BiP. According to statements made through WhatsApp, presidential officials said the media office will begin updating […]

WhatsApp bug made group chats accessible via simple Google search

Controversy continues to loom over WhatsApp, as the popular instant messaging app suffered a security bug where private group chats seem to be appearing on Google searches, leaving room for anyone to join them. The issue first surfaced back in 2020 and was quickly fixed, but has now resurfaced once more, allowing private user data […]

WhatsApp’s new privacy policy: Give us your data or delete the app

In a controversial move, popular instant messaging app WhatsApp have changed their privacy policy to allow Facebook – its parent company – to forcefully collect private user data such as phone numbers, payment info, location, and more. Users who refuse to comply with the updated policy – that will come into effect as of February […]

WhatsApp bug; the two-step verification system challenged

It seems that the two-factor authentications system is not a reliable method that will prevent hackers to sweep into users’ conversations. Recently, Roland Abi Najem, Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation Consultant, found a bug in the WhatsApp two-step verification code system. On July 18, 2020, someone attempted to hack Abi Najem’s WhatsApp account. On July 21, […]