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WhatsApp

Social & Community

Source-backed from WhatsApp Privacy Policy

52
reviewed findings
15
key findings
3
free to read here
2
verified controls

Privacy Snapshot

What the published policy covers, and how much we found under each. Tap one to read it.

  • Location 4 findings
  • Camera & Photos 1 finding
  • Contacts 2 findings
  • Messages 10 findings
  • Sensitive Data 2 findings
  • Tracking 4 findings
  • Advertising & Profiling 1 finding
  • Sharing 12 findings
  • Controls & Permissions 13 findings
  • Other 3 findings

3 findings, in full

The first 3 of this report’s 15 key findings, complete — claim, reasoning, and the policy’s own wording.

Location WhatsApp estimates your city and country even if you do not use location-related features

What this means

WhatsApp uses your IP address and your phone number's area code to estimate your general location, such as city and country.

Even if you do not use location-related features, WhatsApp uses your IP address and phone number area code to estimate your general location such as city and country.

Why this matters

General location is still location, and this one is worked out without anyone asking.

What the policy says

Even if you do not use our location-related features, we use IP addresses and other information like phone number area codes to estimate your general location (e.g., city and country). We also use your location information for diagnostics and troubleshooting purposes.

From WhatsApp Privacy Policy

View the source document Source captured on

Contacts Other users may give WhatsApp your phone number and name from their mobile address book

What this means

Other people may provide WhatsApp with your phone number, your name and other information, such as data taken from their mobile address book.

Other users may provide WhatsApp with your phone number, name, and other information such as data from their mobile address book.

Why this matters

You can be described to a service by people who never told you they had done it.

What the policy says

For example, when other users you know use our Services, they may provide your phone number, name, and other information (like information from their mobile address book) just as you may provide theirs.

From WhatsApp Privacy Policy

View the source document Source captured on

Messages A third-party backup service will receive your WhatsApp messages

What this means

If you use a third-party backup service integrated with WhatsApp, such as iCloud or a Google Account, that service will receive your WhatsApp messages.

If you use a third-party backup service integrated with WhatsApp, such as iCloud or Google Account, that service will receive your WhatsApp messages.

Why this matters

A backup puts the same conversations into another company's hands.

What the policy says

For example, if you use a data backup service integrated with our Services (like iCloud or Google Account), they will receive information you share with them, such as your WhatsApp messages.

From WhatsApp Privacy Policy

View the source document Source captured on

12 more key findings a free account opens, by topic

  • Sharing 5
  • Controls & Permissions 3
  • Messages 2
  • Contacts 1
  • Sensitive Data 1

Create a free account to read all 15

And every key finding for every company you use, with your companies saved and a dashboard of what is worth seeing across them, plus your Privacy Tune-Up. An email and a password — no card.

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Unlock the complete WhatsApp report

A free account opens all 15 key findings. 37 additional reviewed findings are available in the complete report.

  • Location 3 more
  • Camera & Photos 1 more
  • Messages 7 more
  • Sensitive Data 1 more
  • Tracking 4 more
  • Advertising & Profiling 1 more
  • Sharing 7 more
  • Controls & Permissions 10 more
  • Other 3 more

  • Complete report

    37 additional reviewed findings, each shown with the policy wording behind it, like the 15 above.

  • Privacy Tune-Up

    2 verified privacy controls — where each one is, what it changes, and what may stop working.

  • Stay protectedPlanned

    Told when the policy changes.

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Plainlyst simplifies selected disclosures from privacy policies. It does not claim to capture every statement or practice in a policy, and it is not legal advice.

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Operated by JC RESERVE LLC

james@plainlysthq.com

Official sources only. Every finding quotes the company’s own policy, and every record names the document behind it. We do not grade anybody.