The move is the first time the company has changed its terms and privacy policy in four years.
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A spokesperson for Whatsapp commented on the new exchange of data which will see people being targeted more specifically with ads. Banner adverts will still not be displayed in the app, though the company did say that they are looking to allow companies to send “marketing” messages.
WhatsApp will share user information with its parent company, Facebook, including phone numbers as the service explores options to boost its revenue. Facebook will employ the phone number only internally to identify WhatsApp users better, so it can help advertisers with their target groups.
In a significant development, WhatsApp today announced it will integrate with other “businesses” to offer customised solutions to its billion plus users.
WhatsApp was bought by Facebook in 2014 in a deal worth 21.8 billion United States dollars (£16.5 billion).
Facebook is also testing ways users of its own Messenger service can connect with businesses, as it looks for ways to boost revenue from its stable of apps that count users in the hundreds of millions.
Users are not able to opt out of this data sharing, although you can choose not to allow to be shared for the objective of improving their experience with advertisements and product experiences on Facebook. You can read the full documents [https://www.whatsapp.com/legal].
“When you and the people you message are using the latest version of WhatsApp, your messages are encrypted by default, which means you’re the only people who can read them”, the company said.
The Information Commission’s Office (ICO) said while some users may be concerned by the lack of control provided by the updated privacy policy, others may consider it a positive.
If you want to opt out of your data being shared with Facebook, there are two ways you can do it.
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“If you are an existing user, you can choose not to have your WhatsApp account information shared with Facebook to improve your Facebook ads and products experiences”, the company states on its legal page.
