WhatsApp, Facebook, Signal, Telegram: Here’s the data apps actually collect

WhatsApp, Facebook, Signal, Telegram… These different messaging apps have been at the center of users’ questions since the WhatsApp T&C change event broke out. To choose which one best meets your expectations, it can be helpful to have a better idea of ​​the data collected by each.

Chances are, you’re one of those frustrated WhatsApp users who want to switch to another messaging app. After the firm’s confusion about the media’s replacement of the CGU, many are looking for an alternative that is more respectful of their privacy. Signal, in particular, has experienced a significant rise in popularity since the beginning of the controversy thanks to its unique privacy policy.

However, Facebook still does not want to announce changes to WhatsApp’s Terms of Service. Users have been given a deadline of May 15, 2021 before it goes into effect, but this will certainly be beneficial for many of them making the switch to another platform. However, if your main motivation for replacing messaging apps is to protect your privacy, it’s best to provide an overview of the data collected by the most popular. Fortunately, the App Store’s new policy, which demands full transparency from developers, makes this much easier.

WhatsApp: In the footsteps of Facebook

• identifiers: device ID
• Usage data: advertising data

• Shopping : purchase history
• Location : approximate location
• Contact information : phone number
• User content: other user content
• identifiers: user identifiers, device identifier
• Usage data: product interaction, advertising data
• Diagnosis: fault data, performance data, other diagnostic data

• User content: other user content

• Shopping : purchase history
• Financial information: payment information
• Location : approximate location
• Contact information : e-mail address, phone number
• persons
• User content: customer support, other user content
• identifiers: user identifiers, device identifier
• Usage data: interaction with the product
• Diagnosis: fault data, performance data, other diagnostic data

• Contact information : phone number
• identifiers: user identifiers, device identifier
• Usage data: interaction with the product

Facebook: all-round champion

Facebook displays the same data collected in each of the categories, in addition to tracking data that allows it to identify the sites and apps the user has visited.

• Contact information : physical address, email address, name, phone number
• identifiers: user identifiers, device identifier
• Other data types

• Shopping : purchase history
• Financial information: other financial information
• Location : exact location, approximate location
• Contact information : physical address, email address, name, phone number, other user contact information
• persons
• User content: photos or videos, content from gaming experiences, other user content.
• Search history
• Search history
• identifiers: user identifiers, device identifier
• Usage data: product interaction, advertising data, other usage data
• Diagnosis: fault data, performance data, other diagnostic data
• Other data types

Signal: big winner

• Contact information : phone number

Telegram: a little more than Signal

• Contact information : name, phone number
• persons
• identifiers: User ID

It is clear that Signal and Telegram protect their users’ privacy more than their direct competitors. If it’s common knowledge that Facebook is greedy on personal data, it appears to follow in the footsteps of WhatsApp’s parent company. While the messaging app has made it clear that the data shared with the social network is only about conversations with companies, it’s clear that CGU is basically asking for too many concessions from its users. The future will show if the latter continues to roll out to other platforms.

Source : ZDNet