Daily Monitor
Tuesday February 16 2021
A woman uses a smartphone to communicate. After a backlash from many users across the globe, WhatsApp has since retracted and extended its deadline from February 8th to May 15th to allow users to understand the new policy. PHOTO/courtesy
Summary
WhatsApp, a messaging platform under Facebook has lost some of its loyal users to other messaging platforms in the digital space over what some users term as ‘a controversial new privacy policy’.
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Have you seen a pop up of your new WhatsApp privacy policy on your phone screen? Was it an inconvenience? Did you simply ‘accept the new rules’? Did you read through the policy?
PSA: Telegram Chats Aren’t End-to-End Encrypted by Default
Telegram and Signal are widely popular privacy-focused messaging apps. However, the two apps have some big differences: While all messages sent via Signal are always end-to-end encrypted by default, Telegram messages aren’t. End-to-end encryption is an optional feature in Telegram.
Why End-to-End Encryption Matters
End-to-end encryption means that only the sender and the receiver of a message can see its contents. Not even the company running the server in the middle of the conversations can see the contents of the communications.
With Signal, all conversations are always end-to-end encrypted: The Signal Foundation can’t see the contents of the messages.
WhatsApp s new T&Cs changed nothing, but you should still use Signal if you care about privacy Feb 01, 2021, 05:23 PM
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WhatsApp; Signal; Samantha Lee/Insider
WhatsApp caused a user stampede to rival encrypted messaging app Signal by sending users new terms and conditions.
Users were panicked by the notification WhatsApp sent out, thinking it meant the app would share more data with Facebook, its parent company.
In fact, WhatsApp was already sharing their data with Facebook all the notification did was draw attention to it.
On January 6, WhatsApp caused a user stampede.
The app sent users a notification asking them to sign off on updated terms and conditions, which stipulated it could share reams of metadata - including their phone numbers, locations, and contacts - with its parent company Facebook. If users did not consent, the notification said, they would lose access to WhatsApp.
Beware of other chat apps, warn cyber experts
By Sameer Naik
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With millions of WhatsApp users reportedly flocking to other messaging applications after the chat app’s controversial privacy policy update, cyber experts in the country have warned of the risks of using other chat services.
Many people have switched to chat applications such as Telegram, as WhatsApp announced its new terms of service which included a clause that allows Facebook to share data from WhatsApp across its other products.
FILE PHOTO The Whatsapp logo and binary cybercodes. Telegram downloads topped the Google Play Store rankings since WhatsApp tried to force its users to agree to its updated terms and privacy policies to continue using the app. REUTERS Dado Ruvic Illustration File Photo
Signal rolls out customized wallpapers and other features
In order to get the new feature, Signal users will have to update to Signal 5.3 for Android and iOS.
Ankita Chakravarti | January 29, 2021 | Updated 10:02 IST
Highlights
The open-source messaging app has now rolled out customized wallpapers.
The new feature would let users set different wallpapers for different chats.
Signal is borrowing a lot of features from its rival WhatsApp. The open-source messaging app has now rolled out customized wallpapers. The new feature would let users set different wallpapers for different chats. In order to get the new feature, Signal users will have to update to Signal 5.3 for Android and iOS.