EngageMedia is one of 28 organisations worldwide participating in the #SaveWhatsApp campaign that calls on Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook to withdraw the recent updates to WhatsApp’s privacy policy, which legitimise user and transaction data-sharing from the platform.
In 2016, Zuckerberg backtracked on his promise to protect WhatsApp’s independence and treatment of users’ data after its acquisition by Facebook. Prior to the acquisition, WhatsApp was regarded as a secure messaging platform. This year, WhatsApp announced that it is expanding its data-sharing practices with businesses for marketing purposes, including users’ registration details, information about your devices, location, and any payments and financial transactions made over WhatsApp. WhatsApp also said it may share any data covered by its privacy policy, which could include contacts, status updates, when people use WhatsApp and for how long, and unique identifying numbers for users’ phones.
Users who opt-out of the policy will no longer be able to access key features of the app until they accept the new terms. The original global deadline to do so was on 15 May 2021, but it has since varied the deadline across users due to widespread backlash.
While those living in the European Union will be exempted because of the GDPR, we in the Asia-Pacific will be among those most affected by this update. WhatsApp is one of the leading applications in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines.
EngageMedia is tapping its regional networks and programs to draw more attention to this discriminatory policy that violates users’ privacy. We are also working on localising campaign materials to strengthen the campaign.
Support the campaign by sharing these materials to your networks:
- Facebook Lies video
- Social media cards in English
- Social media cards in Bahasa Indonesia
- Coalition letter to Mark Zuckerberg
Those who want to extend support to the campaign for localisation or any other ideas for collaborations, please reach out to us. The global campaign is currently ongoing, and we need more voices to speak up against this new policy.
For more information, visit the campaign website, or email us at [email protected].
