With WhatsApp’s recent update to the Privacy policies, many people have decided to switch to other apps. The new terms and conditions include information on integration with Facebook. WhatsApp will share data with Facebook for better ad experience. The users have no choice but to accept this. Except for people in European Union, who have a choice to disagree, everyone else will have to agree to it.

People started shifting to alternative messenger apps like Signal and Telegram. The Turkish WhatsApp users are uninstalling the app and making a shift to local app, BiP. According to the reports, even the political leaders are moving to BiP.

BiP is an app that was launched by Turkish mobile network, TurkCell. The app saw a sudden surge as people started looking for alternatives. Even the Turkish government urged its citizens to make a shift.

To express their disappointment, Turksih WhatsApp users started trending #WhatsAPPsiliyoruz on twitter. It means, “We are Uninstalling WhatsApp.” While expressing their anger, users also promoted local app, BiP.

President of Turkish Presidential Digital Transformation Office, Ali Taha Koc said that he is not happy with the difference of treatment between EU people and all the other countries. “In terms of data privacy, the EU and other countries' distinction is unacceptable! As mentioned in the Information and Communication Security Guide, foreign-origin applications contain significant risks to data security,” he tweeted.

Veri mahremiyeti açısından AB ve diğer ülkeler ayrımı kabul edilemez! Bilgi ve İletişim Güvenliği Rehberi’nde de belirttiğimiz gibi yabancı menşeli uygulamalar veri güvenliğine yönelik önemli riskler içeriyor. pic.twitter.com/xqRIRo5WCX
— Ali Taha Koç (@AliTahaKoc) January 9, 2021

According to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, the ranking on Apple App Store changed after WhatsApp’s policy update. Suddenly Telegram became the most downloaded Messaging app in Turkey and was on top. Followed by Signal, third place was WhatsApp and fourth was BiP which gained more than 1 million Turkish users and in less than 24 hours and over 53 million users worldwide.

What Is It About?

It was reported that WhatsApp will be sharing user data with parent company, Facebook. Although the personal messages will be end-to-end encrypted, Details regarding your phone number, mobile information, WhatsApp usage, Payment and Transactions (regarding WhatsApp payment), Status update, ‘About Info,’ profile picture, etc will be shared.