Leave WhatsApp for Signal or Viber with Sorani interface :)

[Anthea]

WhatsApp users DELETE app

Millions of WhatsApp users have taken the drastic step of abandoning the app ahead of a privacy policy update that will force them to share their data with Facebook

The update, which will be released on February 8, affects WhatsApp users in all countries outside of Europe and the UK, where there are strict data protection laws.

Users in these regions will be required to give their consent for Facebook to access their data, including their phone numbers and information about how they interact with others, in order to continue using the app.

The requirement will apply regardless of whether or not the WhatsApp user has a Facebook account.

The news has led many people to jump ship to rival apps, according to data from Sensor Tower.

When the privacy policy changes were announced on January 7, Telegram picked up nearly 1.7 million downloads and Signal gained 1.2 million downloads, while WhatsApp, which usually dominates, gained just 1.3 million downloads.

WhatsApp installations also fell approximately 13 per cent to 10.3 million downloads in the first seven days of January, compared to the seven days prior.

WhatsApp users have been left reeling by the latest change, which means they could lose access to their account unless they agree to share data with Facebook

WHAT DOES THE CHANGE MEAN FOR YOU?

From February 8, WhatsApp will start sharing user data with its parent company, Facebook.

While WhatsApp will start sharing data with Facebook, it's important to note that WhatsApp is encrypted by default, meaning Facebook will not be able to see the contents of your messages.

However, it will be able to see who you message, as well as how often you do it.

If you use WhatsApp you should have received a notification, explaining the changes.

The notification outlines the new data sharing feature, and urges you to 'Agree' with the conditions.

WhatsApp first alerted users to the new privacy policy changes in a notification last week.

The privacy policy explains: 'As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, the other Facebook Companies.

'We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services and their offerings, including the Facebook Company Products.'

Essentially, this means Facebook will now be able to access account information including your phone number, information on how you interact with other users, and logs of how often and how long you use WhatsApp.

Other data that could be shared with Facebook includes your IP address, browser details, language and time zone.

WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook in 2014, and has shared data with its parent company since 2016.

However, users have previously been able to opt out of sharing their personal data with Facebook - now it will be compulsory if they want to continue using the app outside of Europe.

Many angry WhatsApp users have taken to Twitter to announce their departure from the app, in light of the new privacy policy.

One said: 'I've just deleted Whats App and Instagram from my phone because their new terms and conditions freak me out.'

Another wrote: 'I deleted my WhatsApp last week. I definitely lost some contacts, and that sucks, but I've come to see FB as a criminal enterprise; I can't afford to give them access to my data.'

And one added: 'Deleted my WhatsApp today. I've been using Signal for a while and think it's brilliant. hope y'all will join me over there!'

One user said that he had deleted WhatsApp after coming to see Facebook as a 'criminal enterprise'

Many frustrated WhatsApp users have taken to Twitter to announce their departure from the app

The change to WhatsApp's privacy policy has put many users off using the popular messaging app

According to App Annie, WhatsApp's ranking in both the UK and US has fallen following the news.

In the US, WhatsApp is now ranked number 38 in the download charts, while it is number 10 in the UK - significantly lower than normal.

In contrast, both Telegram and Signal have risen up the ranks, and are now numbers 13 and one in the UK download charts, respectively.

Jake Moore, Cybersecurity Specialist at ESET said it was no surprise that many users were deleting WhatsApp following the privacy policy update.

'Being told that the app is unavailable unless you agree may not always be the best way as people then feel forced to giving away their data,' he said.

'We may even see people move away from these apps to more privacy-focused apps which more delicately protect our data.

'It is incredibly important that users do all they can to protect their private information, and they must realise how damaging it can be if it gets into the wrong hands.'

If you use WhatsApp you should have received a notification last week, explaining the changes

WhatsApp has confirmed that users in the UK and Europe will not have their data shared with Facebook

Speaking to MailOnline, a WhatsApp spokesperson said: 'There are no changes to WhatsApp's data sharing practices in the European region (including UK) arising from the updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

'For the avoidance of any doubt, it is still the case that WhatsApp does not share European region WhatsApp user data with Facebook for the purpose of Facebook using this data to improve its products or advertisements.'

The privacy policy changes will mainly affect the way businesses can communicate with customers on WhatsApp.

The change to the privacy policy has sparked many frustrated WhatsApp users to jump ship to rival apps, including Telegram (pictured) and Signal

When speaking to businesses via WhatsApp, your messages may now be stored and managed on Facebook, if the business is run through this channel.

However, if that is the case, users should be notified and will be given the option to stop talking to the business if they'd prefer their information was not shared.

In a series of tweets, Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, explained: 'It's important for us to be clear this update describes business communication and does not change WhatsApp’s data sharing practices with Facebook.

'It does not impact how people communicate privately with friends or family wherever they are in the world.'

WhatsApp is encrypted by default, meaning Facebook will not be able to see the contents of your messages.

WhatsApp promotes its Dark Mode for iOS and Android

However, it will be able to see who you message, as well as how often you do it

The notification sent to WhatsApp users last week outlined the new privacy policy, and urged them to 'Agree' with the conditions.

It said: 'By tapping AGREE, you accept the new terms and privacy policy, which take effect on February 8, 2021. After this date, you'll need to accept these updates to continue using WhatsApp.'

Mirror Online has contacted WhatsApp for further clarification.

BEST WHATSAPP ALTERNATIVES

If you're considering deleting WhatsApp, you'll be happy to hear that there are several alternative apps to choose from:

1. Telegram

With more than 400 million users, Telegram is one of the most popular WhatsApp alternatives.

While it looks very similar to WhatsApp, what sets it apart is the fact that it offers even more security.

Messages are end-to-end encrypted, but users also have the option to set messages to self-destruct after a given period of time, leaving no trace.

2. Signal

Signal is one of the most secure messaging apps, thanks to the fact that it is open-source.

This means that the code for the app is publicly available to view, making it near-impossible for the app's creators to sneak in any backdoors that could allow governments or hackers to spy on your messages.

3. iMessage

If you use an iPhone, you may consider simply switching to iMessage, Apple's own messaging app.

The app has a number of impressive features included no character limits, the ability to send pictures and videos, and of course Apple's animated emoji feature, Animoji.

Unfortunately, iMessage is only available for iPhone users, so you'll struggle to interact with anyone using an Android.

4. Google Messages

Google's answer to iMessage is Google Messages, an Android-only messaging service.

The app replaces your standard SMS app, and integrates with all of Google's apps and services, making it easy to share images or use Google Assistant.

5. Facebook Messenger

If you were put off using WhatsApp due to its sharing of data with Facebook, Facebook Messenger may not be the best option for you.

However, the app offers a number of helpful features, including games, secret conversations and video calls.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... ebook.html

[Anthea]

WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum:

Share data with Facebook or stop using the app

WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messenger that claims to have privacy coded into its DNA, is giving its 2 billion plus users an ultimatum: agree to share their personal data with the social network or delete their accounts.

The requirement is being delivered through an in-app alert directing users to agree to sweeping changes in the WhatsApp terms of service. Those who don’t accept the revamped privacy policy by February 8 will no longer be able to use the app.

Share and share alike

Shortly after Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014, its developers built state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption into the messaging app. The move was seen as a victory for privacy advocates because it used the Signal Protocol, an open source encryption scheme whose source code has been reviewed and audited by scores of independent security experts.

In 2016, WhatsApp gave users a one-time ability to opt out of having account data turned over to Facebook. Now, an updated privacy policy is changing that. Come next month, users will no longer have that choice. Some of the data that WhatsApp collects includes:

User phone numbers

Other people’s phone numbers stored in address books

Profile names

Profile pictures

Status message including when a user was last online

Diagnostic data collected from app logs

Under the new terms, Facebook reserves the right to share collected data with its family of companies

“As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, this family of companies,” the new privacy policy states. “We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services and their offerings.”

In some cases, such as when someone uses WhatsApp to interact with third-party businesses, Facebook may also share information with those outside entities.

A lack of transparency

The move comes a month after Apple started requiring iOS app makers, including WhatsApp, to detail the information they collect from users. WhatsApp, according to the App Store, reserves the right to collect:

Purchases

Financial information

Location

Contacts

User content

Identifiers

Usage data

and Diagnostics

A WhatsApp spokeswoman declined to speak on the record about the changes and precisely how or if it’s possible for users to opt out of them. She agreed to email additional information on the condition it be kept on background, meaning none of the details can be quoted verbatim.

The move, the spokeswoman said, is part of a previously disclosed move to allow businesses to store and manage WhatsApp chats using Facebook's infrastructure. Users won't have to use WhatsApp to interact with the businesses and have the option of blocking the businesses. She said there will be no change in how WhatsApp shares provides data with Facebook for non-business chats and account data.

Together, the WhatsApp privacy policy and terms of service are more than 8,000 words long and are filled with legal jargon that makes it difficult for non-lawyers to understand. WhatsApp is doing its users a disservice by not agreeing to speak on the record so that reporters can fully understand the changes and explain them to readers.

People who object to the new terms and policy should consider using a different messenger. The Signal messenger provides the same robust encryption engine with a much more transparent privacy policy and terms of service. (Those documents are half the length of those from WhatsApp, too.) Besides providing encrypted chats, Signal also offers encrypted audio and video calls.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/202 ... obal-en-GB

[Anthea]

You Can Stop Using WhatsApp
But Don’t Make This Mistake

WhatsApp’s recent PR disaster has seen tens of millions flock to other platforms. Millions more are now planning to do the same, after a backlash over data sharing with Facebook. But beware—not all messengers are the same and you could be taking a more ‘dangerous’ risk than you realize. So, what should you do now?

“Using WhatsApp is dangerous,” Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov warned last January, citing cyberattacks against WhatsApp running on phones belonging to key targets, including Jeff Bezos. A year on and Durov is now celebrating “the largest digital migration in human history,” writing that “in the first week of January, Telegram surpassed 500 million monthly active users—25 million new users joined Telegram in the last 72 hours alone.”

In his warning, Durov cited a WhatsApp vulnerability in its handling of video files as well as alleged nation state attacks like the one targeting Bezos. Durov claimed that “backdoors are usually camouflaged as ‘accidental’ security flaws—in the last year alone, 12 such flaws have been found in WhatsApp.” Durov also (correctly) pointed out the risks for users who back up their WhatsApp chat histories to public clouds and questioned WhatsApp’s fabled security. “How can anybody be sure that the encryption WhatsApp claims to use is the one actually implemented in their apps?”

WhatsApp is now fighting back to fix the self-inflicted wound from a forced terms of service change coming just after Apple’s privacy labels exposed its extensive data collection. It was a haphazard PR nightmare for the company. And while it has backtracked on its take it or leave (it) before February 8 ultimatum, there’s no contrition yet over the extent of the data collection itself. One can’t help but think WhatsApp will need to do more, as its competitors welcome enough fleeing WhatsApp users to push their backends to the limit.

The two WhatsApp competitors that have benefited most from its stumble are Signal and Telegram. But they are very different to one another, and the WhatsApp versus Telegram versus Signal debate has exposed just how unaware most users are of those critical differences. Worse, many of the articles explaining WhatsApp’s issues and the alternatives do not clear up any of that confusion. This puts you at risk.

The surge of new users to Telegram is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the WhatsApp exodus. Let’s be very clear—while Signal is a more secure WhatsApp lookalike, Telegram is nothing of the sort. It is a completely different platform, designed for a completely different purpose. And while Durov says “I consider Telegram Secret Chats to be significantly more secure than any competing means of communication,” the fact remains that Telegram is not end-to-end encrypted by default, and those secret chats work between just two devices—they do not extend to groups, and they need to be manually selected

Telegram has been described as part social media and part messenger. It is a cloud-based platform that was designed to deliver messages “seamlessly across any number of your phones, tablets or computers.” The initial use case for Telegram supported dissidents and protest groups. By hosting messages outside the state’s reach, any device could be used to access the repository. And while your data might be outside the reach of the authorities:

it is technically accessible by Telegram and its employees

Telegram operates huge groups and channels, as such it hosts content in the same way as Facebook and Twitter, pushed out to subscribing members. This functionality led to Telegram’s reputation being tainted through the platform’s alleged use by criminals, terrorists and hate groups. Just this week, it has been sued “for failing to crack down on violent extremist conversation in the aftermath of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.”

“Chat apps that offer functionality beyond messaging often compromise privacy in favor of extra features,” warns security researcher Tommy Mysk. “Telegram offers a feature like channels, that are public feeds. This makes Telegram more of an alternative to Twitter than Signal. Telegram mingles messaging methods that are end-to-end encrypted with others, such as normal chats and channels, that are not. A lay person won't tell the difference and might end up opting for a feature that is less secure.”

With the exception of its limited secret chats, Telegram doesn’t encrypt messages all the way from you to your contacts, instead it encrypts messages between your device and its cloud, and again between its cloud and your contacts. You can use multiple devices to access your cloud-based messaging repository, and Telegram holds the keys to all that encryption.

In contrast, both Signal and WhatsApp do encrypt end-to-end by default. And while Durov is right, WhatsApp does not make its encryption open-source, it is based on Signal’s own protocol, which is fully open-source. There have never been any credible claims of vulnerabilities in this encrypted message transport itself, only with compromised endpoints—i.e., hitting phones with malware.

“When you throw nation state level capabilities and the ability to attack endpoints,” Cyjax CISO Ian Thornton-Trump says, “all bets are off and the conversation (at least one side of it) is as vulnerable as if was just clear text.”

But it turns out that while alleged Israeli spyware attacks and various technical vulnerabilities were not able to shake the confidence of WhatsApp’s vast user base, the combination of Apple’s privacy labels and a change to its terms of service, misreported as WhatsApp shares your data with Facebook, caused a backlash. Facebook has always been WhatsApp’s Achilles heel, and this has been a risk since 2014.

There are legitimate reasons for users to want to switch from WhatsApp to alternatives—the platform does collect too much data, it does share some of that data with Facebook, it is developing commercial offerings while unable to offer multi-device functionality and fully secure cloud backups. And, most of all, because of the planned integration with Facebook Messenger and Instagram.

But the one reason not to move from WhatsApp is over concerns with its message security. WhatsApp takes credit for universalizing access to end-to-end encryption, and while any platform of its scale will be subject to sophisticated nation state attacks—just look at Apple, WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption is fine.

The irony is that the millions switching WhatsApp for Telegram will be less secure in doing so—that’s not a matter of opinion, that’s because it does not have end-to-end encryption by default

Don’t take my word for it—let’s look at what Telegram itself says. “Do I need to trust Telegram for this to be secure?” the platform asks in its own FAQs. “When it comes to secret chats, you don't,” it says. And to the question, “why not just make all chats 'secret'?” Telegram argues that it has balanced security, speed and multiple device access, as well as restoring messages when a phone is lost. It has compromised with “messages in Secret Chats using client-client encryption, while Cloud Chats use client-server/server-client encryption and are stored encrypted in the Telegram Cloud.”

Telegram is right—if users opt to use WhatsApp’s public cloud (Apple or Google backups), then they lose the protection of its end-to-end security. But with WhatsApp you can trade the risk of lost device against compromising message security. You don’t get to make that choice with Telegram—not unless you stick to 1:1 secret chats.

Because most of your Telegram messages are not end-to-end encrypted, you rely on Telegram’s internal security and policies. “To protect the data that is not covered by end-to-end encryption,” it says, “Telegram uses a distributed infrastructure. Cloud chat data is stored in multiple data centers around the globe that are controlled by different legal entities spread across different jurisdictions. The relevant decryption keys are split into parts and are never kept in the same place as the data they protect.”

Bear in mind Telegram’s origins—this is all about keeping data from the authorities. As a result of this structure, it says, “several court orders from different jurisdictions are required to force us to give up any data… We can ensure that no single government or block of like-minded countries can intrude on people's privacy and freedom of expression. Telegram can be forced to give up data only if an issue is grave and universal enough to pass the scrutiny of several different legal systems around the world.” All of which, it says, means “we have disclosed 0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments.”

But Mysk cautions that “Telegram stands out from Signal and even WhatsApp in the way it persistently begs for access to contacts. Telegram makes it inconvenient to use the app without granting access to contacts. In addition, it offers its users the chance to connect without exchanging phone numbers. However, when adding a new contact by username, the option to share the user's phone number with the new contact is activated by default.”

As a Telegram user, if you want to match the actual messaging security used by WhatsApp, you need to stick to those secret chats. But, unlike WhatsApp and Signal and iMessage, among others, those secret chats cannot include groups or anything beyond selected 1:1 chats. With secret chats, Telegram says, “all data is encrypted with a key that only you and the recipient know—there is no way for us or anybody else without direct access to your device to learn what content is being sent in those messages… Secret chats are not part of the Telegram cloud and can only be accessed on their devices of origin.”

This might sound familiar to users of WhatsApp, which says, “end-to-end encryption ensures only you and the person you're communicating with can read or listen to what is sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp. This is because with end-to-end encryption, your messages are secured with a lock, and only the recipient and you have the special key needed to unlock and read them. All of this happens automatically: no need to turn on any special settings to secure your messages.”

Telegram is not a high-risk platform. But it’s not the step-up from WhatsApp, security-wise, that it claims. In reality, both platforms have issues—albeit different ones, and are reasonably secure. Jumping ship from one to the other makes little sense.

If you want to leave WhatsApp over security and privacy concerns, you should move to Signal, not Telegram. Signal is the closest lookalike to WhatsApp. It does not link any data to its users—albeit it uses your phone number to identify your account.

But what about other messaging platforms—how do they stack up?

The most sophisticated messaging architecture is Apple’s. iMessage is underpinned by some very clever tricks, enabling users to run a central iCloud message repository that syncs across all your trusted Apple devices, without ever losing end-to-end encryption. In Telegram’s parlance, this is the best of both worlds. To enable this, you need to have “Messages in iCloud enabled.” There is a caveat, though. If you also have iCloud backups enabled, a copy of your end-to-end encryption key will be included.

The main issue with iMessage, of course, is that it doesn’t operate cross-platform. So, while it is the cleverest messaging option for Apple users, it can’t be the go-to messenger on your device. The fallback when you message non-Apple users is SMS, and SMS is a security horror show.

Android Messages is not a good alternative to WhatsApp. It is essentially an SMS client that has now evolved to RCS to add the chat features available in WhatsApp and iMessage. it is not end-to-end encrypted at the moment, although Google has this update in beta. But right now, it only works for 1:1 messaging, rather like Telegram, does not extend to groups, and needs both sides of a chat on the beta app.

Facebook Messenger is even more of a no-go. It offers a similar 1:1 “secret” chat option to Telegram—which is end-to-end encrypted, but everything else does not have that level of security. It also has a woeful privacy policy—a vast array of metadata is collected by Facebook, and the platform admits to monitoring content, including file links and attachments. The best advice for Messenger users is to switch.

There are other, less well known options now available, including Viber, which adds end-to-end encrypted messaging to its VoIP platform and Wickr, which is best described as an enterprise version of Signal, designed for corporate use. There is also Swiss-based Threema, which has become a favorite of the very security conscious. That platform is even more secure than Signal—it doesn’t use phone numbers as identifiers and so can keep accounts wholly anonymous. It has a much smaller user base though, so you’ll be unlikely to find many of your contacts (if any) onboard.

Somewhat topically, I asked Flavio Aggio, CISO at the World Health Organization, which messenger he would recommend. He wouldn’t advocate for any single one, but mentioned Signal, Threema and Telegram as good options. I did get the sense that he would plump for Threema if pushed—the fact that it can be used without a phone number, he saw as a major plus.

If you do move, you’re fine with any of the end-to-end encrypted alternatives I’ve mentioned. You’re also fine with Telegram, but make sure you understand the differences and the risks; you will be committing to storing most of your content in Telegram’s cloud, and that won’t be for everyone. Most new users are unaware of this and assume that it’s a more secure version of WhatsApp. That simply isn’t the case.

For ESET’s Jake Moore, “Signal seems to be winning the race against Telegram,” based on the contacts he sees moving. “I think that may continue due to its default end to end encryption on offer,” he says, “a must for any messaging service in my opinion. People migrating to privacy focused apps does not happen overnight. However, WhatsApp was available for years before it became the number one messaging platform.”

This misinformation dilemma was perfectly illustrated by one of the many emails I received this week from messaging platforms looking to plug their wares. “Messaging apps, like Telegram and Signal, are end-to-end encrypted,” the email said. “WhatsApp, while end-to-end encrypted, has a number of loopholes that allow conversations to be stored or shared.”

This is all dangerously misleading, and shows what little chance everyday users have of picking through the misinformation to get the facts. Signal and WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default, Telegram is not. And while Signal’s deployment is fully open source and so theoretically more secure, there are no “loopholes” in WhatsApp, by which the email meant backdoors allowing Facebook to monitor content.

As former intel officer Philip Ingram points out, “the debate about continued security with different messaging apps after the mass exodus from WhatsApp underpins that many using the excuse of privacy seem to want to follow herd induced habits rather than think for themselves.” Unsurprisingly, Ingram uses Threema. “A Swiss-based, truly anonymous messaging app,” he says. “I haven’t looked back.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman ... 04ccd82cd9

[Anthea]

Messaging app Viber
introduces Kurdish interface

Popular messaging application Viber is introducing a new Sorani Kurdish language interface to the public, the company’s CEO told Rudaw

“It is the 42nd language available in Viber,” French entrepreneur and Viber CEO Djamel Agaoua told Rudaw’s Rebaz Ali in an interview on Friday. “We are very proud and happy to launch the service for the people in Kurdistan”

Agaoua said the introduction of Kurdish is a response to the large number of Viber users in the Kurdistan Region, claiming that roughly 60-65 percent of people in the territory use the service.

In terms of the linguistic specificities of Kurdish, the CEO said they faced no difficulties adding the system, because of their local partner. “Korek Telecom was precious in this partnership to make sure that we were using the right words,” he said.

Privacy has become a major concern for users of social media platforms, with applications like Whatsapp coming under fire in recent months for changes to their information policies.

Agaoua says they collect a minimum amount of data and secure their users because chatting via Viber is end-to-end encrypted. “No one at Viber, including me, can access the content of the chat or the call.”

“The other messaging apps that you can find on the markets are not safe for you to use… There are apps that are dangerous to use because they don’t have moderation systems and are open to other users in the world which is not very good,” said Agaoua. “So, if you care about privacy and safety, Viber is basically the best option.”

While most messaging apps have ramped up their online security in recent years and introduced back-to-back encryption, according to the AVG Technologies, not all platforms are equally secure. The antivirus software places the messaging application Signal at the top of its list for security.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/interview/07022021