WhatsApp, data privacy and data protection

The use of WhatsApp is probably one of the most frequently discussed privacy issues. Can WhatsApp be used for business communication or not? Almost everyone has this app on their mobile phone to communicate with family and friends. Sharing a quick picture or video is an easy way to stay in touch. So why shouldn't we be able to do the same with our business partners?

WhatsApp typically accesses all of the contact information on your mobile phone and stores it, along with the pictures and messages you send, on servers in a third country that are unknown to you. This data is also shared with Facebook, where it is analysed and used for advertising purposes. Beyond all the other questions and limitations of using Facebook, there is the fundamental question of whether every contact on your phone would be willing to share their data with you. In many cases, this assumption may not be justified.

Interestingly, there are executives who like to keep their personal mobile numbers private. But they use WhatsApp to share not only their own personal numbers, but also those of their key business contacts. Convenience often tends to make one risk less. Nevertheless, the use of WhatsApp on mobile phones used for business purposes should be strongly discouraged.