Stop allowing Facebook to harvest Whatsapp data for profit
This is an appeal to all Whatsapp employees.
SumOfUs has launched a campaign to stop Facebook from harvesting Whatsapp data for profit. We've filed a legal briefing in Brazil and the conclusions is that Facebook is in breach of Brazilian data protection law -- we may potentially see an injunction in Brazil that could force Whatsapp to exclude Brazil from its new privacy policy changes.
While the privacy changes are not particularly new, the media attention has forced authorities around the world to examine Whatsapp's privacy policy -- including in Germany where authorities are prepared to order Whatsapp to prevent allowing Facebook to collect and process German user data for its own purposes. Unfortunately, the US lacks such data protection laws, leaving users having to fend for themselves and navigate through confusing privacy policy changes.
Facebook and Whatsapp execs are trying to sweep this under the rug in order to continue to profit off of people's personal data. More than ever we need employees of these two companies to start speaking out about these manipulative practices. That's where you come in.
Here's what we're looking for:
Whatsapp staff members (it doesn't matter what your role is) to send us a short testimony about your objection to these harmful data harvesting practices.
Even just 1 line saying "I'm a Whatsapp employee and I object to Facebook's data harvesting practices" is really helpful -- though the more personalized your testimony, the better. We will then use these testimonies in advocacy with governments to enact stronger data protection laws, and with the media in order to expose this issue when the policy takes effect May 15.
Your testimony will be *entirely* anonymous. Your identity will never be revealed to either company, or even the media (unless you wish to speak publicly).
You may email rewan@sumofus.org to submit your testimony, or if you prefer to do this more securely, feel free to use our whistleblower tool that is encrypted and anonymous: https://techleaks.sumofus.org