WhatsApp Announces New Independent Company Focused on Privacy and Security: Will It Regain User Trust?

Highlights

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• WhatsApp has faced backlash over its privacy policy changes in the past year
• Users have expressed concerns about how WhatsApp shares their data with Meta and third-party services
• WhatsApp is creating a new company called WhatsApp Inc. that will operate independently from Meta
• WhatsApp Inc. will focus solely on privacy and security and have its own board of directors, management team, and employees
• The new company will have more autonomy to make decisions that prioritize user privacy
• WhatsApp Inc. will continue to use Meta's infrastructure and technology but will have its own data protection policies and practices that comply with privacy laws and regulations.

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WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta (formerly Facebook), has been facing a lot of criticism and backlash over its privacy policy changes in the past year. Many users have expressed concerns about how WhatsApp shares their data with Meta and other third-party services, and some have even switched to alternative platforms like Signal or Telegram.

In an attempt to address these issues and regain trust, WhatsApp has announced that it is creating a new company called WhatsApp Inc. that will operate independently from Meta and will focus solely on privacy and security. According to a blog post by WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, the new company will have its own board of directors, management team, and employees, and will be responsible for developing and maintaining the WhatsApp app and service.

Cathcart said that the new company will also have more autonomy and flexibility to make decisions that are best for its users and their privacy. He added that WhatsApp Inc. will continue to use Meta's infrastructure and technology, but will have its own data protection policies and practices that will comply with the highest standards of privacy laws and regulations around the world.

He also assured users that WhatsApp's core features, such as end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and view once media, will remain unchanged and will not be affected by the new company structure. He said that WhatsApp Inc. will also introduce new privacy features in the future, such as the ability to leave groups silently, choose who can see when you're online, and prevent screenshots on view once messages.

The announcement of WhatsApp Inc. has been welcomed by some privacy advocates and experts, who see it as a positive step towards giving users more control and transparency over their data and communications. However, some critics and skeptics have questioned the sincerity and effectiveness of the move, arguing that WhatsApp Inc. will still be ultimately owned by Meta and will still face pressure to monetize its user base and share data with advertisers and other partners.

It remains to be seen how WhatsApp Inc. will perform as a separate entity and how it will address the ongoing challenges and opportunities in the messaging market. For now, WhatsApp users can expect to see some changes in the app's branding and terms of service in the coming months, as well as some new privacy features that will give them more options and protection when messaging.