WhatsApp Group Chat links on Google Search questions the Privacy : Details Inside

Imagine ! You are discussing something very crucial and personal in a WhatsApp Group Chat and suddenly an unknown person pops in. Before anyone can notice, this stranger has access to your phone numbers, your dp and other personal details being discussed in the group.

Not only this, the links to the WhatsApp Group Chats can be very easily accessed via Google Search. This clearly means that the company has breached the privacy of its users.

WhatsApp Group Chat accessible on Google Search in 2019

This issue was noticed earlier in 2019 and later got fixed. The same issue gathered a lot of media attention back then also. But once reported to Facebook, it got fixed pretty soon.

Independent cyber security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia shared screenshots which shows indexing of WhatsApp group chat invites on Google.

Your @WhatsApp groups may not be as secure as you think they are. WhatsApp Group Chat Invite Links, User Profiles Made Public Again on @Google Again.
Story – https://t.co/GK2KrCtm8J#Infosec #Privacy #Whatsapp #infosecurity #CyberSecurity #GDPR #DataSecurity #dataprotection pic.twitter.com/7PvLYuM9xD

— Rajshekhar Rajaharia (@rajaharia) January 10, 2021

WhatsApp spokesperson Alison Bonny told The Verge earlier: “Like all content shared in searchable public channels, invite links that are posted publicly on the internet can be found by other WhatsApp users. The links that users wish to share privately with people they know and trust should not be posted on a publicly accessible website.”

WhatsApp’s new Privacy Policy

WhatsApp has been working on changing the Privacy Policy for its users where it may share your information with its family of companies to facilitate, support as well as integrate their activities and improve services.

The policies have to be agreed upon if you want to use your WhatsApp account further.

This new update has already raised a lot of concern over the new privacy policy, especially with respect to data sharing with its parent company Facebook.

Summary

The breach in the privacy of WhatsApp Group Chat is no doubt too alarming to ignore. Though the company hasn’t yet passed any statement on this regard. We are trying to reach to the officials of the company. Meanwhile, stay with us for further updates on the same.

Drop your concerns and queries in the comment box below.