April 2025 news reported that Nigeria fined Meta $220 million for Facebook and WhatsApp data misuse, citing unauthorized sharing of data and discriminatory data handling.
These cases highlight the global push to limit how large tech companies combine and leverage user data across their various services.
New Privacy-Enhancing Features -
Advanced Chat Privacy (New in April 2025): This is a significant recent news item. WhatsApp introduced a new setting allowing users to block others from exporting chats, auto-downloading media, and using messages for AI features. This aims to give senders more control over their content once it leaves their device.
Usernames (Upcoming/Rolling Out): Widely uganda whatsapp number data reported in 2024 and continuing into 2025, WhatsApp is introducing usernames (e.g., yourname). This will allow users to connect without directly sharing their phone number, a major privacy enhancement.
"Phone Number Privacy" in Communities: News has covered this feature, where your phone number is now hidden by default from most members in large WhatsApp Communities, protecting your privacy in broader group settings.
Hiding Online Status & Last Seen: WhatsApp continues to offer and refine features allowing users to control who can see their "Last Seen" and "Online" status, as highlighted in various tech guides and privacy news.
Disappearing Messages & "View Once" Media: These features continue to be emphasized as ways to control the longevity and visibility of shared data.
Data Security and Scams - Ongoing Vigilance:
Account Takeovers: News constantly warns about scams where malicious actors try to take over WhatsApp accounts by tricking users into sharing their 6-digit verification codes. This directly relates to the security of your phone number as your WhatsApp ID.
Data Scraping: Reports about large "WhatsApp number databases" being sold (as seen in late 2022 news) highlight that phone numbers can be scraped from publicly available sources, leading to increased spam and scam attempts.
Vulnerabilities & Patches: WhatsApp regularly releases security advisories and patches for vulnerabilities, ensuring the underlying app's data handling is secure. News reports on these when they occur.