Indian users have expressed concern over the planned updates in the privacy policy of WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook. The deadline for the update and policy implementation has gone, yet the question&nbsp;remains: “What is a good WhatsApp alternative?”

Netizens are posing this question after WhatsApp revised its privacy conditions on January 6, reserving the ability to share user data, including location and phone number, with its partners.

There is a variety of social messaging apps to choose from, such as Google Hangouts, Google Chats, Telegram and Signal.&nbsp;

Telegram and Signal are the two most popular solutions that many people are considering, with online searches for them on the rise in the past few days.&nbsp;

Here is what you should know about the top three alternatives of Whatsapp:&nbsp;

Telegram:&nbsp;

Telegram began as a messaging application in 2013, but the platform has evolved significantly since then. There are currently a variety of functions and channels available in the app. Telegram is gaining a large number of new users, who can send up to 1.5GB of files.&nbsp;They can add up to 200,000 users in a group. &nbsp;It is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, Windows NT, macOS and Linux-based operating systems.

Signal

Signal is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The Signal Private Messenger app, unlike WhatsApp, is also accessible on the iPad. Users can download it on Windows, Linux and Mac, much like WhatsApp.

Signal has seen a jump in worldwide downloads in recent weeks.&nbsp;

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has also advised people to "use Signal." Thanks to his recommendation, Signal has surpassed WhatsApp as the most popular free app on the App Store in India, Germany, France, Austria, Finland, Hong Kong and Switzerland.&nbsp;

Viber

Users of Viber, which is nearly as old as WhatsApp,&nbsp;will get unlimited calls, unlimited texting, and high-quality video chat.

Viber Messenger's group video call function now accommodates even more people.&nbsp;

However, the shift isn't limited to mobile. Viber now allows up to 30 people to participate in a single video conversation, regardless of the platform they are using.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian users have expressed concern over the planned updates in the privacy policy of WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook. The deadline for the update and policy implementation has gone, yet the question remains: “What is a good WhatsApp alternative?

Indian users have expressed concern over the planned updates in the privacy policy of WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook. The deadline for the update and policy implementation has gone, yet the question remains: “What is a good WhatsApp alternative?” Netizens are posing this question after WhatsApp revised its privacy conditions on January 6, reserving the ability to share user data, including location and phone number, with its partners. There is a variety of social messaging apps to choose from, such as Google Hangouts, Google Chats, Telegram and Signal. Telegram and Signal are the two most popular solutions that many people are considering, with online searches for them on the rise in the past few days. Here is what you should know about the top three alternatives of Whatsapp: Telegram: Telegram began as a messaging application in 2013, but the platform has evolved significantly since then. There are currently a variety of functions and channels available in the app. Telegram is gaining a large number of new users, who can send up to 1.5GB of files. They can add up to 200,000 users in a group. It is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, Windows NT, macOS and Linux-based operating systems. Signal Signal is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The Signal Private Messenger app, unlike WhatsApp, is also accessible on the iPad. Users can download it on Windows, Linux and Mac, much like WhatsApp. Signal has seen a jump in worldwide downloads in recent weeks. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has also advised people to "use Signal." Thanks to his recommendation, Signal has surpassed WhatsApp as the most popular free app on the App Store in India, Germany, France, Austria, Finland, Hong Kong and Switzerland. Viber Users of Viber, which is nearly as old as WhatsApp, will get unlimited calls, unlimited texting, and high-quality video chat. Viber Messenger's group video call function now accommodates even more people. However, the shift isn't limited to mobile. Viber now allows up to 30 people to participate in a single video conversation, regardless of the platform they are using. (With inputs from agencies)

Considering leaving WhatsApp? Here are a few apps that can be used as substitutes

In Europe, officials, doctors and engineers are looking at how smartphones could be enlisted in the war against the spread of the new coronavirus.&nbsp;

One obvious attraction for health officials is the possibility of using smartphones to find out with whom someone diagnosed with COVID-19 has been in contact.&nbsp;

But can this be done without intrusive surveillance and access to our devices that store a wealth of private information?

Anonymised and aggregated&nbsp;

Firms can "anonymise" location data received from your smartphone by stripping out personal identifiers. It can then be presented in an "aggregate" form where individual and identifiable data points are not accessable.&nbsp;

Your location data is already likely being used that way by mobile operators to feed traffic information to map apps.&nbsp;

And it is such information that the European Commission has requested from mobile operators, which can determine the location of users by measuring the phone signal strength from more than one network tower.

In fact, mobile operators have already been providing such data to health researchers in both France and Germany.

Google, which collects large amounts of data from users of its myriad services, plans to publish information about the movement of people to allow governments to gauge the effectiveness of social distancing measures.

In particular, it will display percentage point increases and decreases in visits to such locations as parks, shops, and workplaces.

Bluetooth sleuth

Anonymised and aggregated only get you so far. To get practical data like the people with whom an infected person has had contact, you need to get invasive. Or do you?

Singapore pioneered a method using Bluetooth. This is the technology that allows people to connect wireless headphones or earbuds to their smartphones.&nbsp;

If you've ever connected a pair to your phone in a public place you'll probably have noticed the devices of others nearby.

It is this feature of Bluetooth that the Singaporean app TraceTogether exploits.

Someone who has downloaded the app and kept their Bluetooth enabled will begin to register codes from all people who have the app on their phone and come within range.

Germany is looking at rolling out a similar system.

Privacy concerns

The Singaporean app is designed to reduce privacy concerns.&nbsp;

For one, the app is voluntary.&nbsp;

Another is that it doesn't track your location, rather it just collects codes from the phones of people with whom you come into relatively close contact.

That information is only uploaded to the operator of the app when a person declares himself or herself as having come down with COVID-19.&nbsp;

The TraceTogether app then matches up the codes (non-identifiable except to the operator of the system) with the telephone number of owners, and then messages them they had been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Spies in charge

The other means to get practical information is to utilise the location data of phone users.&nbsp;

This is the method chosen by Israel, which put internal security agency Shin Bet in charge of obtaining the data from mobile phone operators.

It also gets access to data on the movement of people for a two week period to help track down people exposed to the coronavirus.

Shit Bet does not get access to a person's phone, however.

'Proportionate and temporary'&nbsp;

Putting the fox in charge of guarding the henhouse is unlikely to sit well with rights and privacy groups, although they don't exclude the use of technology to help combat the crisis.

"However, States' efforts to contain the virus must not be used as a cover to usher in a new era of greatly expanded systems of invasive digital surveillance," said a statement issued Thursday by 100 rights groups including Amnesty International, Privacy International and Human Rights Watch.

They warn that "an increase in state digital surveillance powers, such as obtaining access to mobile phone location data, threatens privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of association, in ways that could violate rights and degrade trust in public authorities -- undermining the effectiveness of any public health response."

They said any additional digital surveillance powers should be necessary, proportionate and temporary.

"We cannot allow the COVID-19 pandemic to serve as an excuse to gut individual's right to privacy," the groups said.

In Europe, officials, doctors and engineers are looking at how smartphones could be enlisted in the war against the spread of the new coronavirus. One obvious attraction for health officials is the possibility of using smartphones to find out with whom someone diagnosed with COVID-19 has been in contact.

In Europe, officials, doctors and engineers are looking at how smartphones could be enlisted in the war against the spread of the new coronavirus. One obvious attraction for health officials is the possibility of using smartphones to find out with whom someone diagnosed with COVID-19 has been in contact. But can this be done without intrusive surveillance and access to our devices that store a wealth of private information? Anonymised and aggregated Firms can "anonymise" location data received from your smartphone by stripping out personal identifiers. It can then be presented in an "aggregate" form where individual and identifiable data points are not accessable. Your location data is already likely being used that way by mobile operators to feed traffic information to map apps. And it is such information that the European Commission has requested from mobile operators, which can determine the location of users by measuring the phone signal strength from more than one network tower. In fact, mobile operators have already been providing such data to health researchers in both France and Germany. Google, which collects large amounts of data from users of its myriad services, plans to publish information about the movement of people to allow governments to gauge the effectiveness of social distancing measures. In particular, it will display percentage point increases and decreases in visits to such locations as parks, shops, and workplaces. Bluetooth sleuth Anonymised and aggregated only get you so far. To get practical data like the people with whom an infected person has had contact, you need to get invasive. Or do you? Singapore pioneered a method using Bluetooth. This is the technology that allows people to connect wireless headphones or earbuds to their smartphones. If you've ever connected a pair to your phone in a public place you'll probably have noticed the devices of others nearby. It is this feature of Bluetooth that the Singaporean app TraceTogether exploits. Someone who has downloaded the app and kept their Bluetooth enabled will begin to register codes from all people who have the app on their phone and come within range. Germany is looking at rolling out a similar system. Privacy concerns The Singaporean app is designed to reduce privacy concerns. For one, the app is voluntary. Another is that it doesn't track your location, rather it just collects codes from the phones of people with whom you come into relatively close contact. That information is only uploaded to the operator of the app when a person declares himself or herself as having come down with COVID-19. The TraceTogether app then matches up the codes (non-identifiable except to the operator of the system) with the telephone number of owners, and then messages them they had been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Spies in charge The other means to get practical information is to utilise the location data of phone users. This is the method chosen by Israel, which put internal security agency Shin Bet in charge of obtaining the data from mobile phone operators. It also gets access to data on the movement of people for a two week period to help track down people exposed to the coronavirus. Shit Bet does not get access to a person's phone, however. 'Proportionate and temporary' Putting the fox in charge of guarding the henhouse is unlikely to sit well with rights and privacy groups, although they don't exclude the use of technology to help combat the crisis. "However, States' efforts to contain the virus must not be used as a cover to usher in a new era of greatly expanded systems of invasive digital surveillance," said a statement issued Thursday by 100 rights groups including Amnesty International, Privacy International and Human Rights Watch. They warn that "an increase in state digital surveillance powers, such as obtaining access to mobile phone location data, threatens privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of association, in ways that could violate rights and degrade trust in public authorities -- undermining the effectiveness of any public health response." They said any additional digital surveillance powers should be necessary, proportionate and temporary. "We cannot allow the COVID-19 pandemic to serve as an excuse to gut individual's right to privacy," the groups said.

Smartphone vs virus, is privacy always going to be the loser?

Amid the ongoing Facebook data breach scandal, United Nations on Thursday raised concern over the privacy issue and said that most counties are ill-prepared for the digital economy.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cambridge-analyticas-parent-company-involved-in-honor-killing-cases-in-india-reports-127122">Cambridge Analytica's parent company involved in '</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cambridge-analyticas-parent-company-involved-in-honor-killing-cases-in-india-reports-127122">honor</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cambridge-analyticas-parent-company-involved-in-honor-killing-cases-in-india-reports-127122"> killing' cases in India: Reports</a>

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development -- main agency dealing with the economics of globalisation -- Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said: "The current debate about Facebook and data privacy vividly illustrates that most countries are ill-prepared for the digital economy.”

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/colombia-blocks-app-it-says-possibly-linked-to-cambridge-analytica-126870">Colombia blocks app it says possibly linked to Cambridge Analytica</a>

"This is more worrying given that about 90%&nbspof new Internet users over the last five years live in developing countries about half of which currently lack legislation to protect their privacy," he added.

UNCTAD further said, "the internet user growth is booming and with more people ever purchasing goods and services online, protecting their privacy must be a top priority."

"The digital economy is evolving fast. Between 2012 and 2017, the number of monthly Facebook users surged from 1 billion to 2.2 billion – with the fastest growth happening in developing countries."

The economic agency further mentioned about global e-commerce reaching almost $26 trillion in 2016.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chris-wylie-left-in-2014-has-no-direct-knowledge-of-companys-practices-cambridge-analytica-126812">Chris Wylie left in 2014, has no direct knowledge of company's practices: Cambridge Analytica</a>

The United States said to remain the largest market by far, with combined e-commerce sales of some $7.6 trillion, with Japan ranking at second.

The privacy concerns were raised after the reports of UK based data analysis company, Cambridge Analytica assisting in Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential elections came in the light.

The company is facing government search in the London office by US authorities for obtainning Facebook users' data with illegal measures.

Kituyi’s call for increasing security coincides with the agency’s E-Commerce Week in Geneva next month.&nbsp

It is the leading forum for governments, the private sector, development banks, academia and the civil society to discuss development opportunities and challenges before the evolving digital economy.

(With inputs from PTI)

Amid the ongoing Facebook data breach scandal, United Nations on Thursday raised concern over the privacy issue and said that most counties are ill-prepared for the digital economy

Amid the ongoing Facebook data breach scandal, United Nations on Thursday raised concern over the privacy issue and said that most counties are ill-prepared for the digital economy. Also read: Cambridge Analytica's parent company involved in 'honor killing' cases in India: Reports United Nations Conference on Trade and Development -- main agency dealing with the economics of globalisation -- Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said: "The current debate about Facebook and data privacy vividly illustrates that most countries are ill-prepared for the digital economy.” Also read: Colombia blocks app it says possibly linked to Cambridge Analytica "This is more worrying given that about 90%&nbspof new Internet users over the last five years live in developing countries about half of which currently lack legislation to protect their privacy," he added. UNCTAD further said, "the internet user growth is booming and with more people ever purchasing goods and services online, protecting their privacy must be a top priority." "The digital economy is evolving fast. Between 2012 and 2017, the number of monthly Facebook users surged from 1 billion to 2.2 billion – with the fastest growth happening in developing countries." The economic agency further mentioned about global e-commerce reaching almost $26 trillion in 2016. Also read: Chris Wylie left in 2014, has no direct knowledge of company's practices: Cambridge Analytica The United States said to remain the largest market by far, with combined e-commerce sales of some $7.6 trillion, with Japan ranking at second. The privacy concerns were raised after the reports of UK based data analysis company, Cambridge Analytica assisting in Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential elections came in the light. The company is facing government search in the London office by US authorities for obtainning Facebook users' data with illegal measures. Kituyi’s call for increasing security coincides with the agency’s E-Commerce Week in Geneva next month. It is the leading forum for governments, the private sector, development banks, academia and the civil society to discuss development opportunities and challenges before the evolving digital economy. (With inputs from PTI)

Most counties are ill-prepared for the digital economy: UN

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Considering leaving WhatsApp? Here are a few apps that can be used as substitutes

Smartphone vs virus, is privacy always going to be the loser?

Most counties are ill-prepared for the digital economy: UN