WhatsApp has been in the bad light ever since it changed its privacy policies and blatantly revealed it will share our data. The popular messaging app continues to be in the negative spotlight as it isn’t having a good time in terms of its users in India.
A recent survey by Cybermedia Research suggests that a large percentage of WhatsApp users in India are reconsidering using the app, putting the Facebook-owned platform’s userbase in jeopardy.
WhatsApp is not having a good time
The report suggests that around 76 percent of the people know of the updated WhatsApp privacy policies. A major percentage (79 percent) of the surveyed people are reconsidering the app. This indicates that people aren’t clearly happy with the new policies and their trust in the app is beginning to fade away.
Since people are reconsidering WhatsApp, the alternatives are bound to take the centre stage. It is revealed that 41 percent of people want to switch to Telegram, while 35 percent want to shift to Signal. Users are also better aware of the Telegram than the Signal app.
For those who don’t know, ever since the new WhatsApp privacy policies, both Signal and Telegram have gained significant traction, both in terms of popularity and userbase. Both the apps also come with various features already present on WhatsApp.
The report also reveals that people are showcasing negative emotions towards WhatsApp. While 49 percent of people are angry, 45 percent of people have trust issues, and 35 percent of users feel a breach of trust. Only 10 percent of people seem to not have any issues with WhatsApp.
Another survey by LocalCircles indicates a similar feeling among the WhatsApp users in India as 5 percent of the surveyed people have already deleted the app and 75 percent of users do not want to use the platform’s Business arm.
Both these studies suggest that people are really pissed off with the new WhatsApp privacy policies and there could soon come a time when the popular messaging app’s monopoly could be broken. This could severely affect WhatsApp’s userbase in India, as well as, WhatsApp Business, which drives most of the app’s monetization plans.
WhatsApp is already asked to roll back its new privacy policies in India and given the dropping and unhappy userbase, there are chances this might happen for real.
We will still have to wait for WhatsApp to give out an official word on this.