WhatsApp is currently facing massive loss in number of users after trying to enforce Facebook’s data-sharing policy in using the WhatsApp messaging platform. Previous notifications warned users that the new term will take effect February 08, 2021, those who fail to signify their agreement after that date, will find their WhatsApp account deleted.
Since the data that WhatsApp will share to its parent company Facebook, include include not only personal data but nearly everything; from browser, to connection information, signal strength, app version, battery level, identifiers, timezone, and language, Millions of WhatsApp users decided to abandon their account by migrating to WhatsApp rivals Signal and Telegram.
Actually, WhatsApp has been sharing personal information of their users with FB since 2016 but not properly supported by an opt-out option.
Facebook is currently facing antitrust lawsuits for practicing unfair competition and having access to personal information of nearly all social media users. WhatsApp users are now completely aware that they do not have to agree to the new policy, since other messaging apps even provide end-to-end security features that keep messages hidden. The only reason that is holding most app users from migrating is that most of their contact are using the WhatsApp messaging app.
Crowd’s Response Boosts Growth in Signal and Telegram Apps
Since many are finding most of their WhatsApp contacts migrating to other messaging platforms, more users have since followed suit.
Close competitors Signal and Telegram have in recent week, been seeing an influx of new users downloading their messaging app. Signal reported that as of this date, they have seen an increase of 7.5 million users. Telegram on the other hand, was able to hit the 500 million app-download milestone, as more than 9 million new users are now using the Telegram app.