views on data collection and privacy concerns on recent whatsapp privacy policy upgrade

Recently WhatsApp privacy policy has been upgraded and so many have concerns and they are worried, thinking WhatsApp and FB are stealing their data as if its been done for first time.
 

Below are some thoughts/views related to data collection and privacy policies by many of major tech giants.

let us first, admit none of  famous technology giants/ e-commerce/ social media/ communicators/ messengers is having better privacy policy all collects data from you and your contacts, it is just some collects less some collects more. The fact is that we do not read the agreements, teams and conditions; we all just click on 'I agree' check box and start enjoying the applications.

Second of all; most of these messenger services and social media platforms are free services without any subscription or premium fees. As the underneath technologies of these applications are sophisticated and they employ many of brightest minds, there is no way they are going to do it for free. lets just say their business model are different than normal product - premium - subscription based model. 

There is this famous saying on it "if you are not paying for the product, you are the product".

Data is new oil:

The saying- Data is new oil is probably underrated. With increase in popularity of  BI, data driven decision making, target marketing etc. the importance of data and collection of it have increased drastically. 

So everyone wants to build business model around data collection and marketing based on it. So it is not surprising to hear so and so social media platform collects so and so type of data.

With this growing scenario; consumer's scope for privacy is shrinking. To avoid that and to make consumers comfortable, at least they should be given option to select which type of data they are comfortable sharing and which they are not.

RTBF and other similar laws also should be encouraged to check the data collection and retention of it. so that the system is in balance. 

With this I suggest you to watch movies/documentaries such as 

1) The great hack 

2)The social dilemma 

or at least read about projects/role of Cambridge Analytica

Bottom-line:

Those people who say line(or any other social media platform) is better, never really read agreement and click on 'I accept' and enjoy the app. Moreover we already have given so many data/data permission to so many applications/platforms, knowingly-unknowingly, that we don't really have idea. As far as WhatsApp's new privacy policy is concerned, it is just asking some more columns(data). Now it is widespread because of our beloved mainstream media is spreading it for TRP and also many known personalities including Elon musk have commented on it.

I strongly believe WhatsApp continues to be there in our mobiles; it's just 2-3 days hype, which is created very few people. After that we all will come back to WhatsApp and forget everything.