Facebook hires one of its biggest privacy critics to oversee WhatsApp privacy

That's one way to put it.

Another way to put it is that they bribed the critic with hush money.

Unless his employment is not tied to an NDA (highly improbable), even if Nate thinks they are acting genuine, this could just be a move from the top to shut him up.

Even if he doesn't have a NDA it's still a direct conflict on interest at the very least.

Interesting, they've removed the critic and made him an ally. It's smart for them! It sux for everyone else. Even if the critic is tough, they have removed him from constantly stirring controversy. They are probably paying him very well.

One the face of it, this is the most mature gesture out of a corporation in recent memory.

But it's facebook, so I'd guess this misdirection from the privacy-defeating measures they've also added.

I don't trust them either, but the move itself is impressive.