The European Community imposed a large fine of millions of euros on Facebook, because when purchasing WhatsApp, the Menlo Park company lied by saying that it would not relate the data from one app to the other. The BBC publishes a report detailing three of the ways it does this.
When he offers you "relevant" friendship suggestions
It is more than possible that you have exchanged WhatsApp messages with someone who is not necessarily among your Facebook "friends."
That's why the social network is interested in knowing your number: to contact you with that computer technician, plumber, electrician or whoever you chatted with and add them to your contacts. While the decision to add those strangers you only eventually met is yours, it is still rare for them to appear among "people you may know."
Shows you related advertising
Of course. "By connecting your number with Facebook systems, we can show you ads that are relevant to you," the company says on its blog.
It must have already happened to you: you search for something on Google, Mercado Libre or wherever and (not at all coincidentally) you start seeing advertisements about that specific topic. Remember that -in addition- Facebook has "segmented" you by your age, interests, geographic area and many other data. If we add to that the information you obtain through WhatsApp, it is more information, and don't be surprised if you will soon also see advertising on WhatsApp.
Know your last connection time
Just because you decide not to show your contacts the last connection time on WhatsApp does not mean that the app and Facebook do not have that information.
In fact, they have it and although it may not seem relevant at first glance, it can be vital to know if you are an interesting target to send advertising through the platform, in addition to compiling statistics on how you use the application. It is not that difficult to deduce what time you go to bed and what time you get up, if you use WhatsApp intensively. Of course, "your encrypted messages remain private and no one else will be able to read them. Not WhatsApp, not Facebook, not anyone else," reads the company's blog.
Updated on: 18/05/2017 00:00:00
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