Chhavideep Singh
Source: Irish Sailing
As we are all aware of the infamous WhatsApp controversy in India that involves changes in terms of service and privacy policy changes over the platform’s integration with its parent organisation, Facebook Inc. Things does not seem to go as planned by WhatsApp before they announced their new policy changes with a ‘take it or leave it condition’ that the changes had to be implied upon and agreed by February 8th and for those who do not comply with the new changes, those users would not be able to use the instant messaging service after that.
These conditions and sharing of user information with Facebook created a massive outrage by privacy activists and users on Twitter and other social media platforms, publicly criticising these new terms of service and privacy policy changes. Users are in massive confusion and misunderstanding that WhatsApp will share their supposed ‘end-to-end- encrypted user information with Facebook Inc. over the platform’s integration.
Following the trend, community social media platform, LocalCircles conducted a survey on over 8,977 Indian citizens that says that only 18% users from the 400 million user base of WhatsApp in India are likely to continue using the instant messaging application, while 36% users will reduce their usage drastically as they are possibly to download alternate apps such as Telegram and Signal by still keeping WhatsApp installed as a transition phase. Other than this, the survey also states that over 15% of users are assumed to completely stop using the messaging service.
It is the talk of town whether WhatsApp will be able to retain its reputation in its leading market with 400 million monthly active users. Having said that, WhatsApp is trying hard to explain to its users amid the massive confusion that WhatsApp will not share any user information which is end-to-end encrypted with any third-party application or even Facebook Inc. The platform has put outs posts on social media, informed its users via in-app notifications and uploaded official stories on its platform to inform users about the policy changes. WhatsApp is leaving no stone unturned to make its users understand what the new terms of service mean and what information will not be shared. As a matter of fact, WhatsApp has postponed its date of policy change implementation from February 8 to May 15.
On the other hand, alternate instant messaging platforms such as Signal and Telegram have witnessed over 2.3 million app downloads by Indians within just 4 days of WhatsApp’s new policy change announcement. Telegram has also surged to 1.5 million app downloads from the iOS App Store and Google Play Store within the same amount of time.
While individual users and organisations are planning to switch from WhatsApp to other alternate apps for their official communication, WhatsApp clarifies that the new policy changes are important for businesses and start-ups that use WhatsApp business for official purposes.
WhatsApp is an integral part of everyday communication for Indians, it is the de facto application which makes switching from the application even more difficult for Indian users and organisations.