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Why WhatsApp's Fine is a Reminder to Protect Your Personal Data

The recent €5.5 million fine imposed on WhatsApp by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for violating data protection laws serves as a stark reminder of the importance of cybersecurity. The case centered around an update to WhatsApp's Terms of Service that required users to agree to the revised terms in order to continue using the service, or risk losing access. This update was imposed in the days leading up to the enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018.

The DPC ruled that WhatsApp Ireland is not entitled to rely on the contract legal basis for the delivery of service improvement and security. In addition to the fine, WhatsApp has also been ordered to bring its operations into compliance within a period of six months. This is not the first time WhatsApp has been in trouble with the authorities over its data sharing practices.

As users, it is important to be aware of how our personal data is being collected and used. One way to take control of our online security is by using more secure messaging applications like Signal messenger (https://signal.org/legal/), which is an end-to-end encrypted messaging service that has gained popularity among privacy-conscious users.


Signal messenger offers a range of features that help to protect your privacy, such as end-to-end encryption, which ensures that only the intended recipient can read the message. In addition, Signal does not collect any metadata or browsing history from its users, and it does not allow third parties to access or share your data.

It's important to remember that just because we may not have anything to hide, it doesn't mean that we should be careless with our personal data. Each and every one of us has the right to privacy and the right to control how our personal information is collected and used. When companies like WhatsApp collect and use our data without our knowledge or consent, they are violating our rights. Furthermore, data breaches and hacking can occur at any time, and if our personal information falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for malicious purposes such as identity theft and fraud.

Moreover, even if we are not using WhatsApp or other messaging apps, we are still leaving trails of data behind us in the form of search history, location data, and browsing history. This information can be used to build a detailed profile of our habits, interests, and activities, and it can be used for targeted advertising, political manipulation, and even surveillance.

In short, it's not only about having something to hide or not. It's about our fundamental right to privacy, and having control over our personal data. Using secure messaging apps like Signal, being aware of the terms of service and data policies of the apps we use, and being mindful of the data we leave behind are some of the steps we can take to protect ourselves and our data.

Publish date: 22 January 2023

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