Technology / Internet
Bid to block Facebook - WhatsApp acquisition deal
09 Mar 2014 at 08:32hrs | Views
Two privacy groups reportedly filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission seeking for Facebook's proposed 19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp be blocked because of the potential impact on users' privacy
According to Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Center for Digital Democracy, Facebook's current messaging service collects and stores "virtually all available user data," conversely WhatsApp has demonstrated a "strong commitment to user privacy".
"Facebook routinely makes use of user information for advertising purposes and has made clear that it intends to incorporate the data of WhatsApp users into the user profiling business model," the complaint said.
"The proposed acquisition will therefore violate WhatsApp users' understanding of their exposure to online advertising and constitutes an unfair and deceptive trade practice, subject to investigation by the Federal Trade Commission."
The complaint by the two groups asks regulators to investigate the deal "specifically with regard to the ability of Facebook to access WhatsApp's store of user mobile phone numbers and metadata."
"As we have said repeatedly, WhatsApp will operate as a separate company and will honour its commitments to privacy and security," Facebook said in a statement seen by Reuters.
According to Electronic Privacy Information Center and the Center for Digital Democracy, Facebook's current messaging service collects and stores "virtually all available user data," conversely WhatsApp has demonstrated a "strong commitment to user privacy".
"Facebook routinely makes use of user information for advertising purposes and has made clear that it intends to incorporate the data of WhatsApp users into the user profiling business model," the complaint said.
"The proposed acquisition will therefore violate WhatsApp users' understanding of their exposure to online advertising and constitutes an unfair and deceptive trade practice, subject to investigation by the Federal Trade Commission."
The complaint by the two groups asks regulators to investigate the deal "specifically with regard to the ability of Facebook to access WhatsApp's store of user mobile phone numbers and metadata."
"As we have said repeatedly, WhatsApp will operate as a separate company and will honour its commitments to privacy and security," Facebook said in a statement seen by Reuters.
Source - Byo24News
