Over the past week or so, we’ve seen a lot of chatter about people switching their messaging system from WhatsApp to Signal as a result of the ramifications of the change in their privacy policy. People were worried that WhatsApp would start transferring data to its parent company Facebook.
Is gone Later clarification, But the damage was done.
But what data do these apps have about you? This appears to be a good place to start when comparing services.
Also: Cybersecurity 101: Protecting your privacy from hackers, spies and the government
Thankfully, Apple has made that easier for us by requiring companies to post their privacy policies and to explain what they do with your data.
So, let’s take a look at the information this gives us on WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. And for a bit of perspective, let’s also take a look at Facebook.
The WhatsApp
Data associated with you – the following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
Developer advertisement or marketing
Identifiers
Usage data
Analytics
Purchases
Your site
contact information
User Content
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Personalize the product
User Content
Application functions
Purchases
Financial information
Your site
contact information
- E-mail address
- Telephone number
Contacts
User Content
- Customer support
- Other User Content
Identifiers
Usage data
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other purposes
contact information
Identifiers
Usage data
Signal
Data not related to you: The following data, which may be collected but not linked to your identity, may be used for the following purposes:
Application functions
contact information
cable
Data associated with you – the following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
Application functions
contact information
Contacts
Identifiers
The social networking site Facebook
Data used to track you – The following data can be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:
Other data
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
Identifiers
Data associated with you – the following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
Third-party ads
Purchases
Financial information
Your site
- Exact location
- Approximate location
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
- Other user contact information
Contacts
User Content
- Pictures or videos
- Playing content
- Other User Content
Search history
Browsing history
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
- Other usage data
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
Developer advertisement or marketing
Purchases
Financial information
Your site
- Exact location
- Approximate location
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
- Other user contact information
Contacts
User Content
- Pictures or videos
- Playing content
- Other User Content
Search history
Browsing history
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
- Other usage data
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
Analytics
Health and fitness
Purchases
Financial information
- payment information
- Other financial information
Your site
- Exact location
- Approximate location
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
- Other user contact information
Contacts
User Content
- Pictures or videos
- Voice data
- Playing content
- Customer support
- Other User Content
Search history
Browsing history
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
- Other usage data
Sensitive information
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
Personalize the product
Purchases
Financial information
Your site
- Exact location
- Approximate location
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
- Other user contact information
Contacts
User Content
- Pictures or videos
- Playing content
- Other User Content
Search history
Browsing history
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
- Other usage data
Sensitive information
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
Application functions
Health and fitness
Purchases
Financial information
- payment information
- Credit information
- Other financial information
Your site
- Exact location
- Approximate location
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
- Other user contact information
Contacts
User Content
- Emails or text messages
- Pictures or videos
- Voice data
- Playing content
- Customer support
- Other User Content
Search history
Browsing history
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
- Other usage data
Sensitive information
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data
Other purposes
Purchases
Financial information
Your site
- Exact location
- Approximate location
contact information
- Actual address
- E-mail address
- Noun
- Telephone number
- Other user contact information
Contacts
User Content
- Pictures or videos
- Playing content
- Customer support
- Other User Content
Search history
Browsing history
Identifiers
Usage data
- Product interaction
- Advertising data
- Other usage data
The diagnosis
- Crash data
- Performance data
- Other diagnostic data
Other data