Personal information in the age of social media
The global reaction to WhatsApp's August 2016 announcement, in which the “updating” of its terms and privacy policy was revealed, has been interesting. This update, essentially, allows for the sharing of user information between WhatsApp and its owner of roughly two years, Facebook.
Picture: Memeburn
The reaction has been largely alarmist.
The Guardian, Independent, and The Telegraph warn users to opt out of the sharing of information between the two platforms. TechCrunch takes a more balanced approach, outlining the European legislative response to the announcement, and quoting the UK’s information commissioner Elizabeth Denham. According to Denham: “There’s a lot of anger out there. And again it goes back to promises, commitment, fairness and transparency.”
Essentially, it’s fear-based — and users responding in a knee-jerk manner seem not to have the means to make informed decisions as to their personal data.
Continue reading the full article on Memeburn.
