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December 6

Privacy difference between WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp Desktop?

Any difference? Thank you. Imagine Reason (talk) 14:28, 6 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

It appears that both use the WhatsApp app on your phone for messages – if your phone has no active Internet connection, or your computer and phone cannot talk to each other, you can't send or receive messages. Unless I am overlooking something subtle, the security of WhatsApp Web would only be less if the security of your browser is compromised (such as when it has a covert channel). --Lambiam 12:18, 7 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

What about the privacy aspect? Does FB gain access to substantially more info if it's got a program instead of browser access to your computer? Imagine Reason (talk) 15:12, 7 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

The WhatsApp privacy policy states, "Your messages are yours, and we can’t read them." They also write, "Nothing you share on WhatsApp, including your messages, photos, and account information, will be shared onto Facebook or any of our other family of apps for others to see, and nothing you post on those apps will be shared on WhatsApp for others to see." There is a separate privacy policy for users in the European Region, which includes the UK. I have not studied it, but in view of the General Data Protection Regulation of the EU I expect it to be at least as strict. --Lambiam 12:50, 8 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]