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Tag: WhatsApp

  • Signal vs WhatsApp: A have a look at 5 privateness options

    WhatsApp is without doubt one of the most beloved and extensively used messaging apps in India, however the firm was lately below fireplace for its new privateness coverage. Due to privateness considerations, a number of individuals switched to Signal even when WhatsApp reiterated that each one the chats are encrypted and can’t be accessed by it or Facebook.
    Signal is a personal messaging app, which doesn’t simply provide end-to-end encryption, but in addition presents privacy-oriented options and collects minimal person information. Here’s a fast have a look at 5 privateness options supplied by each the messaging apps.
    Signal privateness options
    Screen Security: The app ensures which you could block others from taking screenshots of a chat. There is a function known as Screen Security, which prevents screenshots of all chats. You can allow it by heading to the Settings part > Privacy > Screen Security. While one can click on footage of a chat from every other machine, Screen Security remains to be a great function, which any personal messaging app ought to provide to its customers.
    Incognito Keyboard: This is a good function, which doesn’t permit your keyboard to save lots of what you might be typing. The firm says when you allow the Incognito keyboard, your cell “keyboard may stop learning from the input you type. Entries may not be remembered by your keyboard’s dictionary to be used later for autocomplete or as a suggestion.” For this, you simply have to open the app, go to Settings part > Privacy > allow Incognito Keyboard.

    Screen lock: You can set fingerprint lock on Signal, similar to WhatsApp. Users can use their cellphone’s fingerprint sensor or passcode to entry the app. However, do observe that each one the incoming calls on Signal can nonetheless be answered and one can reply to messages within the notifications panel.
    Read receipts: Similar to WhatsApp, Signal has an choice to disable or allow Read Receipts, which principally lets if somebody has seen or not the messages. The messaging app additionally presents a function to activate or off typing indicators, which means you possibly can disable the choice to indicate when a message is being typed. Both the options can be found within the privateness part of the app.
    Group invitation privateness: If you create a gaggle in Signal, all your mates can’t be added robotically to the group. Once you enter the title of the individuals you wish to create with, Signal sends an invitation and they should settle for the invite to affix the group. On WhatsApp, that is solely potential while you change settings to “My Contacts except.” This is for who can add you to WhatsApp teams.

    WhatsApp privateness options
    Fingerprint lock: WhatsApp means that you can add a fingerprint lock to the app, in order that solely you possibly can entry your personal messages. To allow this function, you simply want to go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Fingerprint lock. This privateness function in WhatsApp doesn’t block your calls and solely hides your incoming messages. The platform means that you can activate present content material in notifications if you need to preview message textual content inside new message notifications.
    Group invitation system: Anyone on WhatsApp can add you to group if the individual has your cell quantity. If you don’t need anybody so as to add you in teams, then you possibly can change the settings. The messaging app means that you can management who can add them to teams. For this, you get three choices, together with ‘Everyone,’ ‘My Contacts,’ and ‘My Contacts Except.’ The second choice signifies that the contacts you may have in your cellphone tackle ebook can add you to teams and the third one means not each contact can add you to a gaggle. In this case, you’re going to get an invite for becoming a member of the group.

    Profile privateness: WhatsApp offers you the facility to regulate what particulars you share with others in your private profile. You can disguise your profile image from ‘everyone’ or out of your contacts. Though, you don’t have the choice to decide on as to who amongst your contacts can test your profile picture.
    Last Seen privateness: Just like profile privateness, WhatsApp permits you to disguise your final seen, and Statuses as properly. For Last Seen, you get the identical choices as talked about for profile privateness.
    Status privateness: For Status privateness, there are three choices as to who can see your Status updates. These embody ‘My Contact,’ ‘My Contacts except,’ and ‘Only Share with.’

  • HC seeks Centre’s stand on PIL towards new WhatsApp privateness coverage

    The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of the Centre on a plea difficult the brand new privateness coverage of social networking platform WhatsApp.
    A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued discover to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and WhatsApp looking for their stand on the plea by March.
    The petitioners, Seema Singh and Meghan Singh, have contended that the brand new privateness coverage signifies the “fissures” in Indian information safety and privateness legal guidelines.

  • SC seeks WhatsApp reply on plea for non-sharing of UPI knowledge with any third social gathering

    Image Source : INDIA TV SC seeks WhatsApp reply on plea for non-sharing of UPI knowledge with any third social gathering
    The Supreme Court Monday requested instantaneous messaging app WhatsApp to file a response on a plea in search of a path to the RBI and the NPCI to make sure that knowledge collected on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platforms is just not shared with their guardian firm or every other third social gathering below any circumstances.
    A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian stated if WhatsApp doesn’t file its reply, then the averment made within the writ petition filed by petitioner Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam might be taken as accepted.
    Several interlocutory purposes have been filed within the plea which additionally search path for framing regulation to make sure that knowledge collected on UPI platforms is just not “exploited” or utilized in any method aside from for processing funds.
    Senior advocate Arvind Dattar, showing for WhatsApp India, stated nonetheless no formal discover has been issued to it within the plea for impleadment within the matter.
    Senior advocate V Giri, showing for the Reserve Bank of India, knowledgeable the highest courtroom that they’ve filed their reply within the matter.
    Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, additionally showing for WhatsApp, stated ‘WhatsApp Pay’ has acquired all obligatory permission.
    Senior advocate Krishna Venugopal, showing for the petitioner, stated the final time the courtroom requested the corporate if Israeli sypware Pegasus has breached their system, it said that the problem was not pleaded within the petition, which is unsuitable.
    The bench stated that it proposes that the petition be tagged with the same plea pending within the prime courtroom and requested the Centre to file an affidavit on the problem of adware.
    Venugopal stated that until date Facebook and WhatsApp haven’t filed a counter-affidavit within the matter, regardless of the petition being pending for months and they need to even be requested to file counter-affidavit.
    At the fag finish of the listening to, the CJI advised the counsels for WhatsApp that pleas difficult its new privateness coverage are pending earlier than the Supreme Court and posted the matter for additional listening to after 4 weeks.
    In its affidavit, the RBI has advised the highest courtroom that it has no accountability to conduct “audit of members of United Payments Interface (UPI) ecosystem” and accountability to make sure that personal companies like Google and WhatsApp adjust to norms lies with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
    The RBI additionally stated that the issues associated to “data privacy and data sharing” are the area of the central authorities.

    It additionally sought dismissal of the PIL filed by Viswam in search of path to it to border regulation to make sure that knowledge collected on UPI platforms is just not “exploited” or utilized in any method aside from for processing funds.
    The affidavit stated: “It is submitted that RBI’s instructions issued vide round dated April 6, 2018 on storage of cost system knowledge pertain solely to cost date storage and never sharing or privateness.
    RBI has not issued any directions on knowledge sharing by TPAPs (Third Party Application Providers) or the individuals of UPI. Matters associated to knowledge privateness and knowledge sharing come below the area of Government of India.”
    It stated that since NPCI is the proprietor and operator of the UPI, it could be extra acceptable for them to reply on the standing of “compliance of WhatsApp with the system guidelines /procedural tips governing UPI”.
    Earlier, WhatsApp had denied within the courtroom the allegations that its knowledge may be hacked by Israeli sypware Pegasus, which had led to an issue final yr over breach of privateness following claims that Indian journalists and human rights activists have been amongst these globally spied upon by unnamed entities.
    Prior to this, the apex courtroom on October 15, final yr had issued discover to RBI and others on the plea of Viswam in search of path for framing regulation to make sure that knowledge collected on UPI platforms is just not “exploited” or utilized in any method aside from for processing funds.
    It had additionally sought responses of the Centre, RBI, NPCI and others together with Google Inc, Facebook Inc, WhatsApp and Amazon Inc on the plea.
    “The RBI and NPCI have permitted the three members of ‘Big Four Tech Giants’ i.e. Amazon, Google and Facebook/WhatsApp (Beta phase) to participate in the UPI ecosystem without much scrutiny and in spite of blatant violations of UPI guidelines and RBI regulations,” the plea has claimed.
    The plea has alleged that this conduct of RBI and NPCI put the delicate monetary knowledge of Indian customers at enormous dangers, particularly when these entities have been “continuously accused of abusing dominance and compromising data”, amongst different issues.
    It stated these allegations have grow to be notably worrisome at a time when India has banned a number of Chinese purposes on the bottom that these purposes have been or might be used for knowledge theft and will result in safety breaches.
    It has additional sought a path that RBI and NPCI ought to be sure that WhatsApp is just not permitted to launch full-scale operations of ‘WhatsApp Pay’ in India with out fulfilling all authorized compliances to the satisfaction of the courtroom relating to requisite regulatory compliances. 
    ALSO READ | WhatsApp privateness coverage: Plea in SC seeks interim keep
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  • WhatsApp now utilizing Status updates to clear air on new privateness coverage

    WhatsApp has now began utilizing its Status Updates web page to achieve Indian customers on the platform. The service is utilizing the medium to tell customers of its dedication to privateness amidst the continued disaster that began after WhatsApp made its new privateness coverage stay in India in January.
    “One thing that isn’t new is our commitment to your privacy,” says one of many standing updates, whereas one other reads, “WhatsApp can’t read or listen to your personal conversations as they’re end-to-end encrypted.”

    The messages are half of a bigger group of actions that WhatsApp and Facebook have been taking these days to keep away from any confusion over the brand new coverage. The coverage supplied customers no selection however to simply accept the phrases earlier than February 8 or discontinue utilizing WhatsApp. However, it has now pushed again the date of impact to May 15.

    “We’ve heard from so many people how much confusion there is around our recent update. There’s been a lot of misinformation causing concern and we want to help everyone understand our principles and the facts,” wrote WhatsApp in a weblog put up final month.

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg additionally not too long ago spoke on the confusion over the up to date coverage. “To clarify some confusion that we’ve seen, this update does not change the privacy of anyone’s messages with friends and family,” stated Zuckerberg.
    “All of these messages are end-to-end encrypted, which means we can’t see or hear what you say, and we never will unless the person you messaged chooses to share it. And business messages will only be hosted on our infrastructure if the business chooses to do so,” he added.

    Telegram, Signal proceed to reap advantages
    Amidst WhatsApp’s troubles, widespread prompt messaging apps Signal and Telegram proceed to develop in power and recognition. While the feature-packed Telegram has not too long ago added a brand new function that lets customers carry their WhatsApp chat historical past to Telegram, Signal has not too long ago added new customization options together with customized chat wallpapers.

  • 28% customers to depart WhatsApp after implementation of its new coverage: CMR Study

    Around 28 % WhatsApp customers are planning to depart the messaging app after implementation of the brand new coverage, in accordance with a survey carried out by CyberMedia Research (CMR) agency. The messaging service not too long ago introduced that it’s delaying implementation of the brand new privateness coverage until May 2021 to offer folks time to know the brand new phrases. This appears to have labored in favour of the platform as the survey revealed that 79 % of customers are nonetheless reconsidering if they need to use WhatsApp or transfer on to a brand new messaging app.
    In response to WhatsApp’s ‘take it or leave it policy,” consumers ascribed a range of emotions ranging from feeling angry (49 percent), to not trusting WhatsApp ever again (45 percent), to feeling a breach of trust (35 percent). The Gurugram-based company’s newest analysis additionally revealed {that a} majority of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger customers don’t really feel safe about storing their chats on third-party servers.

    The research additionally suggests that fifty % of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger customers get spam messages on each day foundation. The report asserted that round 50 % of these surveyed have acquired suspicious messages from unknown numbers, with potential phishing and malicious hyperlinks. The incidence of phishing messages is excessive on WhatsApp with 52 proportion and lowest on Telegram (28 %), as per the survey.
    The report additionally revealed that 41 % of these surveyed are planning to shift to Telegram, whereas 35 % customers most popular Signal. It is value noting that Telegram scored over Signal when it comes to consciousness (55 %) and precise utilization (39 %). Over the previous one 12 months, 37 % of customers have really used Telegram and over 10 % customers used Signal.

    Commenting on the research findings, Satya Mohanty, Head- Industry Consulting Group (ICG), CMR mentioned, “When it comes to messaging with loved ones, or communicating with the world, WhatsApp has been the default choice. However, as our study findings point out, the current debate goes much beyond privacy-oriented consumers, with some even contemplating stopping their WhatsApp usage, and considering alternatives, such as Telegram or Signal. Consumer preference is being driven by word of mouth, as well as by the array of features the platform offers.”
    The agency additionally famous that its Social Safe research relies on an intensive main shopper survey, which covers 1,500 customers unfold throughout the highest eight cities of India. These embody Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune.

  • Signal will get customized Chat Wallpapers characteristic: Here’s the right way to use it

    Signal now means that you can set customised Chat Wallpapers. WhatsApp only recently added this characteristic to supply customers a greater expertise. It appears that Signal is leaving no stone unturned to supply WhatsApp customers causes to change to its non-public messaging app. The messaging app already has some nice privateness options and those that had been lacking are steadily being added to Signal.
    The platform additionally has plans so as to add options like Animated stickers, Media auto-download settings, full-screen profile photographs and extra. The firm has stated that we are going to get these options within the coming days. We have obtained its newest customized chat wallpapers characteristic, so we considered providing you a take a look at the way it appears to be like like and works. The characteristic is just like how WhatsApp’s customized chat wallpaper works. So, when you’ve got tried this characteristic in WhatsApp, then you know the way to make use of it. Read on to know extra about it.
    Signal: How to set customized wallpaper for particular person chats
    Step 1: Open the Signal app in your cellphone and go to any particular person’s profile.

    Step 2: You have to faucet on the Chat Wallpaper possibility, which is beneath ‘Chat Color.’ Note: If you’ll be able to’t discover the choice, then it signifies that you haven’t obtained the characteristic but. Don’t fear, it ought to attain your machine quickly.

    Step 3: Now, faucet on ‘Set Wallpaper.’ You will get to select from some strong or gradient colors. You additionally get the choice to pick photographs from Gallery. For this, you might want to faucet on ‘Choose from photos.’

    Step 4: Once you choose a photograph, Signal will give an choice to blur the photographs. You don’t get the choice to manually modify the sunshine depth of a wallpaper, which is okay. For a barely dim wallpaper, you faucet on ‘Dark Theme dims wallpaper’ after deciding on the picture.
    Signal: How to alter chat messages color
    This characteristic is totally different from customized chat wallpapers. There is an possibility known as ‘Chat color,’ which helps you to change the color of the recipients’ messages and higher display space of the chat. The ‘Chat Wallpaper’ possibility will change the background of any chat. Now that you understand the distinction, let’s take a look at how one can change the color of the messages.

    Step 1: Open Signal app in your machine.
    Step 2: Visit your folks’ profile and faucet on ‘Chat color.’
    Step 3: You will get some color choices. You want to decide on one of many colors after which press the again button in your cellphone as there isn’t any save button. You will then see a unique color on the chat window.

  • ‘Optional experiences’ for companies with new WhatsApp replace

    Facebook-owned WhatsApp is within the means of updating its privateness coverage and phrases of service to mirror “optional experiences” for companies, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of dad or mum firm Facebook, mentioned in an earnings name early Thursday. This is in sharp distinction with WhatsApp’s earlier notification to customers suggesting that they are going to be required to comply with the brand new phrases and coverage to proceed utilizing the messaging app publish February 8. WhatsApp had subsequently prolonged this deadline until May 15.
    “Many businesses need more than a phone to manage their customer service, so we’re building tools to let businesses store and manage their WhatsApp chats using our secure hosting infrastructure if they would like. We’re in the process of updating WhatsApp’s privacy policy and terms of service to reflect these optional experiences,” Zuckerberg mentioned.
    The up to date coverage and phrases have been first introduced by an in-app notification in early January to customers, who have been requested to just accept them by February 8, failing which they’d lose entry to their accounts. These modifications sought consumer approvals, which the corporate deemed essential to introduce new methods to message companies by way of WhatsApp Business. Zuckerberg mentioned enterprise messages will solely be hosted on its infrastructure if enterprise select so.

    “We want everyone to know the lengths we go to protect your private messages, so we’re moving the date of this update back to give everyone time to understand what the update means,” he mentioned.
    WhatsApp’s new coverage and phrases of service have drawn flak for various guidelines for Indian customers vis-à-vis European customers.

  • WhatsApp Web and Desktop get extra safety function: Here’s the way it will work

    WhatsApp has introduced extra security measures for WhatsApp Web and desktop, which it says will add one other layer of safety to a person’s account once they hyperlink it to their laptop. WhatsApp will now benefit from face or fingerprint unlock, the place it’s accessible on the cell phone working system when a person is linking it to the online model.
    WhatsApp says that to be able to hyperlink WhatsApp Web or Desktop to at least one’s account, they are going to now be requested to make use of face or fingerprint unlock on the telephone, earlier than scanning a QR code. At the second, customers simply need to scan the QR code from the telephone to hyperlink their WhatsApp account to the laptop computer or PC.

    According to the corporate, this new safety function will “limit the chance that a housemate or officemate can link devices” to their WhatsApp account with out the person discovering out. Currently WhatsApp does notify customers every time Web/Desktop login happens with a pop-up notification, however the brand new function will add additional safety. Users all the time have the power to unlink gadgets from their telephone at any time.

    WhatsApp additionally that “the face and fingerprint authentication takes place on your device in a privacy preserving manner – by design, WhatsApp cannot access the biometric information stored by your device’s operating system.”
    The new safety function might be rolling out, alongside a visible redesign to the WhatsApp Web web page on telephones, to customers with suitable gadgets over the approaching weeks, in response to the corporate.
    WhatsApp can also be engaged on video and audio calling for the online platform and whereas the function has been noticed in beta testing it’s but to roll out to all customers.

    How to make use of WhatsApp Web
    Open WhatsApp and go to Settings. You will see WhatsApp Web/Desktop as one choice. Tap on this.
    It will ask you to scan a QR code if it’s not already linked to any internet browser or desktop.
    Open internet.whatsapp.com in your desktop or laptop computer browser. Make certain the padlock image is current in entrance of the url.
    Scan the QR code proven on the desktop/laptop computer browser with the WhatsApp Web/Desktop choice the app. Your WhatsApp ought to now present in your laptop computer or desktop browser.
    Remember you may see which gadgets are linked from the settings in your telephone. You can faucet on Log out from all gadgets, if you happen to see an unfamiliar system the place WhatsApp is linked.

  • Signal to quickly get chat wallpaper, animated sticker help

    Signal has grown considerably in numbers up to now few weeks and now is likely one of the hottest messaging apps in lots of components of the world, together with India. However, the privacy-focused app lacks the options supplied by rivals like WhatsApp and Telegram. In a bid to get extra aggressive on the options it provides, Signal is now testing new additions together with animated stickers.
    Signal had earlier introduced that options like chat wallpapers are coming to the platform. Currently, the app provides no chat backgrounds and solely a plain mild/darkish background behind your chats, based mostly on what theme you’re utilizing. Also promised was the introduction of animated stickers. Now, the 2 options can be found on the app’s beta model.
    As per a report by Android Police, Signal is at the moment providing 21 chat wallpapers to select from, which embody 12 stable colors and 9 gradient backgrounds. The app even helps you to decide your individual picture from recordsdata to show it right into a chat background.

    Signal has additionally added the help for animated stickers. Animated stickers are fairly well-liked and WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram and Instagram have had the function for some time. Now Signal will likely be becoming a member of the celebration too, permitting customers to precise themselves past the common stagnant emojis.
    The new Signal app has additionally added the power to create an About part for customers. Here, Signal customers will be capable to select an Emoji and write out a brief description about themselves ought to they select to take action. This is much like the About part on WhatsApp. A report by XDA means that Signal will permit customers to arrange a number of such description profiles after which simply change between them.
    For these utilizing Signal’s iOS app, the app will quickly be including the choice to mechanically obtain media. This will let customers auto-download photos and movies as they’re acquired. The app may even get full-screen profile image help. Android customers have already got this function. While the brand new additions are at the moment in beta, Signal ought to quickly convey them to the secure apps as soon as they’re examined correctly and any bugs are ironed out.

  • WhatsApp is rolling out video, voice calling characteristic to desktop customers

    WhatsApp has began rolling out the video and voice name characteristic for extra desktop customers, although the choice continues to be in beta and never everybody will see it instantly. WhatsApp had confirmed that the characteristic would begin rolling out in 2021, Reuters reported in December 2020. Currently, the video and voice calling characteristic is just out there on the cellular model of the messaging app.
    Earlier, the decision characteristic was out there for choose customers and now, a number of individuals are witnessing the choice on their WhatsApp Web. However, it’s nonetheless out there just for beta testers, that means customers who’re counting on the check construct of the app, and never the general public model.
    The firm is predicted to launch the steady model within the coming months. Some customers who ar seeing the decision choice within the desktop model, posted screenshots of the identical on Twitter.

    A verified Twitter person by the identify of Guillermo Tomoyose shared a screenshot, exhibiting how the decision characteristic appears like and works in the actual world. The picture clearly exhibits that the decision characteristic for each video and audio calls, with the beta image subsequent to it.
    He additionally added, “Calls from WhatsApp Web are not available from a web browser, in my case the option appeared within the app for Windows 10, which is downloaded from the Microsoft store or from the WhatsApp site.”

    WhatsApp is rolling out WhatsApp Beta calls on WhatsApp Desktop for extra customers!https://t.co/4EduW4bHfP https://t.co/JIFRFLB8je
    — WABetaData (@WABetaData) January 21, 2021
    The screenshot exhibits that the voice and video name button can be positioned on the chat header, identical to the cellular model of WhatsApp. Whenever a person will obtain a video or voice name on WhatsApp net/desktop, a small field will pop up, utilizing which one can settle for, decline or ignore an incoming name.
    Back in December 2020, WaBetaData reported that “WhatsApp is rolling out beta calls for specific users but unfortunately, being a beta feature, it’s available for very few people. We hope you’re lucky but, if it doesn’t, don’t worry: every day more users receive that activation and, at present, WhatsApp Desktop has a higher priority.”