PESHAWAR: The WhatsApp users in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are switching to Telegram and Signal apps for messages and voice calls as they are not ready to accept the new WhatsApp policy due to alleged privacy breach, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday.
Omar, a Peshawar-based businessman, told Pakistan Today that he was using WhatsApp from last several years to keep his data and business activities secure, but now he has installed Telegram for the purpose. “After installing the new app, I found around 4000 out of my 5000 contacts in the new app,” he said.
Talking about the new WhatsApp policy, senior journalist Izharullah said there is no problem with the new policy for those who are well versed in modern technology. “People are now deleting WhatsApp as they believe that the app has started accessing photos and contacts from mobile phones. After some technology experts revealed that other apps, including Telegram and Signal, are safer than WhatsApp, the ordinary people, who are not familiar with modern technology, have starting installing other apps,” he said.
According to the KP Directorate of Information, important issues were being shared among all the departmental officers of the province through various WhatsApp groups. However, after the new WhatsApp policy, the senior officials of the province are moving to other apps due to security issues.
Earlier, WhatsApp had updated its privacy policy for users and sent notifications to both Android and iOS mobile users. The company had made compulsory for the users to accept the policy before February 8 in order to get continued access to the app.
“Whatever you share, it stays between you. That is because your personal messages are protected by end-to-end encryption. We will never weaken this security and we clearly label each chat so you know our commitment,” a WhatsApp message sent to users had said.
