On a fateful day in February 2014, Facebook paid the astronomical sum of $19 billion to acquire WhatsApp.
Today, they’re cashing in.
In turn, WhatsApp is planning to start allowing businesses to contact you via their service, with the long-term aim to make all other forms of mobile communication (texts, calls) superfluous.
In a blog post this morning, WhatsApp reassured users that it will not be sharing your number with others (including via Facebook), nor will it sell, share, or give your phone number to advertisers, but if the thought of data sharing creeps you out, you can opt out.
How to opt out of data sharing:
- Launch WhatsApp and hit settings
- Hit ‘account’.
- Uncheck the box marked ‘share my account info’
(h/t to Lifehacker)
WhatsApp also promises NOT to provide you with a spammy experience / allow third-party banner ads, claiming that this move will actually help it fight spam and abuse. How? 
But they’ve provided a nice lil’ FAQ over here if you want to take a gander ya’self: WhatsApp.
Source: WhatsApp.
Photo: Getty / Brazil Photo Press / CON.
