Some of you might recognise this which popped up on my screen mid January:
In accepting this policy we’re allowing for the collection of our data including:
"battery level, signal strength, app version, browser information, mobile network, connection information (including phone number, mobile operator or ISP), language and time zone, IP address, device operations information, and identifiers (including identifiers unique to Facebook Company Products associated with the same device or account)." (1)
A real world equivalent might be if Royal Mail announced that they were collecting information about your address, drive, front-door and letterbox where the forfeit for non-compliance is not being able to send or receive mail. Whilst they’re not reading our mail, we'd certainly object to this. Sadly online we're desensitised to such infringements.
But a good many people didn't want to share yet more information with a company that already knows so much about us. In the search for alternatives, Signal became the most downloaded app on both Android and IOS.
In panic, Facebook released a statement saying that the update would be rolled back to May 15 (2), and that it wouldn't affect people in the UK and EU (where it’s not allowed) though India wouldn’t be so lucky, sorry developing world (3). As we’re now outside the EU I think we can expect our T&Cs to diverge soon.
What I know for sure is that I don’t want to entrust Facebook with yet more data. Their track record for the responsible use of it is, let’s face it, appalling. The Criticism of Facebook page reads like T&Cs itself (4).
Everyone’s on Whatsapp, all my mates and my family. I’m dependent upon it and this is the weakness they’re exploiting at a time when it’s never been more important to feel connected.
For these reasons I’m closing my Whatsapp account. If I return it won’t be in next year. It’s only a partial measure in protecting my privacy but that doesn’t make it ineffective. Of course I hope that more of us will switch to Signal or otherwise, we're spoilt for options so I'm sure we won't be losing touch.
