Ask HN: What are WhatsApp's privacy gray areas?
Reading through these after reported recent update, I wasn't shocked to hear that location and usage patterns were deeply tracked and analysed. Much can be inferred, no doubt, from knowing the frequency and timings of messages.
They claim messages are never read, but also claim terms violations are investigated. They imply someone else complaining will send a screenshot, alleviating their need or ability to read messages directly. But in cases with no counterparty, maybe a police request, surely the only option is to have read access to message content? Or would the metadata be enough?
Then there's the section on constant contact book scanning and hashing of all numbers unknown to them. Fine, user convenience etc. and hopefully something that will cease to be an issue as the phone network dies off. But it's extremely valuable data, particularly when coupled with other meta property analytics. Not a major concern for me, but obviously a big no for anyone doing anything that needs serious operational security. Like politicians (facepalm).
My final concern was permanent access to photos and media. They say they encrypt media you share. They do not say they do not classify and analyse media you store for their own use. Is this possible, if one allows an app access to my camera/media, can it run ML classifier or other metadata analyses in the background?
I'm perhaps in a situation like many here where I'd much rather not use WhatsApp, but it's literally the only network in town for 99% of the local population. I'm a decade or more off of Facebook, never had an Instagram account, but I had to succumb to WA for kids, social and club activities, despite muddling along with Ubuntu phones, dumb phones and so on for years.
I'd love to get everyone on Signal, but that's obviously not happening.
Your thoughts on the grayer areas of WhatsApp's privacy policy and practices would be welcome.