Social media enthusiasts continue to be debating on whether to stay on WhatsApp or move on to other platforms. The question is also on what are the available options in Oman?
The crossover has been towards Signal, a secured messaging app along with Telegram. WhatsApp, meanwhile, has postponed the privacy policy effectiveness which was expected to take place in February to May 2021.
Haitham al Hajri, Cybersecurity and Electronic Crimes Researcher, said, “They have answered the frequently asked questions where they have explained that the end-to-end encryption is still there. So when you talk with your family and friends and groups you are still protected by the privacy policy, which is encryption. They claim that Facebook or WhatsApp cannot read your messages or hear your calls and cannot detect your location when you share it. However, the privacy policy will be effective in the business numbers or applications.”
Al Hajri explains that WhatsApp for business and personal usage will have its differentiation now when it comes to privacy.
“They are introducing a new line of services. They are moving towards e-commerce. Soon there will be features like having your stores on WhatsApp business. Instagram also has plans to move towards e-commerce. You can see people offering products on Instagram, now they want to facilitate more by offering another service by Facebook where the small sellers have some sort of store on Instagram and use communication through WhatsApp,” explains Al Hajri.
As an ordinary person talking to family and friends, the individual is still protected.
“However when you are talking to someone who has a business account, Facebook could obtain some data that we call metadata. This is to follow up on the fact that receipts have been exchanged, there are copies in them, and if there is a problem they can intervene between a client and a business that is operating through their channels. For now, they have said it is purely to enhance their services and also they would know their location which would enable them to target advertisements.
“For example, if you are looking for a product they would like to know what you are looking for and bringing in the businesses in your area who are selling the merchandise the individual is looking for,” points out the expert.
In other words, the privacy policy would only be affected when speaking to a business account number while in contact with the family to friends the privacy is protected by end to end encryption.
“For security reasons, they have said no one would have access to the codes,” says Al Hajri.
Meanwhile, the messages continue to come through on WhatsApp from individuals stating that they have moved on to other apps and please download them to stay in contact.
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