WhatsApp is using Status stories to make users feel better about their privacy
WhatsApp is apparently using Status messages — the app's take on Stories — to set users' minds at ease.
Users of the Facebook-owned messaging app in the U.S. and UK received reassuring Status notes about WhatsApp's approach to privacy on Saturday, according to a report from The Verge. One of Mashable's sister sites in Asia also spotted similar messages earlier in the week.
The other Mashable (hi all!) noted that WhatsApp's first three Status stories all focused on the company's new privacy policy, which goes into effect on May 15. They're simple, friendly messages that favor big ideas over piles of detail.
You May Also Like
"One thing that isn't new is our commitment to your privacy," one page reads. Another says: "WhatsApp can't read or listen to your personal conversations as they're end-to-end encrypted."
The introduction of the platform's soon-to-be-new terms of service, which was meant to go into effect on Feb. 8 before it was delayed, didn't exactly go over well. That's because the policy noted that WhatsApp shares user data with its parent company. And as most people reading this probably know, Facebook doesn't have the greatest history when it comes to protecting user privacy.
As backlash boiled over in mid-January, WhatsApp responded by delaying the policy shift by three months. The company also stepped up to address more specific concerns — some which seem to be detailed in these new Status stories as well.
In short, WhatsApp wants users to know that neither it nor Facebook can read private messages or hear calls. The service also doesn't keep activity logs for users of the app, and it can't see your location or share your contacts with Facebook.
The new Status stories appear to be another aspect of WhatsApp's ongoing campaign to educate users about the upcoming shift. As backlash over the revised policy spread and became more intense, interest in the messaging app Signal, which has much more full-featured end-to-end encryption, surged.
WhatsApp is likely looking to hang onto any users it can at this point after a bruising stretch of weeks. If you use the app yourself, expect to see more informative Status messages like the ones described above in the weeks and months ahead of May 15.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
