Whatsapp – The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology

Mother of all mergers between Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram: EU Data Privacy restrictions against Facebook’s imperialistic plans

February 6, 2019 by Chris Anyfantis Leave a Comment

Facebook celebrated its fifteen years last Monday and reported earnings in the last quarter of 2018 despite the scandals brought to light during the previous year. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, stated that there is a plan to integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger by 2020 in order to allow users to send messages between these […]

Filed Under: Business, Policy, Technology Tagged With: data minimization, Data Privacy, Elizabeth Denham, end-to-end encryption, EU, EU data protection, Facebook, GDPR, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, personal information, UK Information Commissioner Office, Whatsapp

How did Facebook fool the Commission that easily during the WhatsApp acquisition?

December 21, 2016 by Chris Anyfantis Leave a Comment

The European Commission announced yesterday that a Statement of Objections was sent to Facebook accusing the company of providing incorrect or misleading information during the investigation under Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp. The aforementioned information was that Facebook had initially reassured the EC that it was not possible to match the user accounts of Facebook and WhatsApp. However, […]

Filed Under: Business, Competition, Digital, InfoSociety, Policy, Technology, Telecommunications Tagged With: 180 million dollars fine, competition, consumer protection, data protection, European Commission, Facebook, Facebook acquisition, Margrethe Vestager, matching user accounts, Statement of Objections, Whatsapp

“Be aware where you put your I Agree signature on and something else”; now Facebook by default opts you in an unseen private data bazar

February 6, 2015 by The Sting's Team 2 Comments

When was the last time you installed an application or software in your mobile, tablet or computer? I bet it was quite recently; yesterday or even a couple of hours ago. Do you remember the smooth popup text box that appears in your screen before the installation of your new widget begins? You know, it’s […]

Filed Under: Business, Digital, InfoSociety, Policy Tagged With: Article 29 Working Party, Data Privacy, Data Protection Authorities, Facebook, Facebook advertising program, Facebook Opt-Out, Google Antitrust Case, Instagram, Like Button, Terms of Use, Whatsapp

Zuckerberg, a paella, and the mighty EU questionnaires that would stop Whatsapp acquisition by Facebook?

July 11, 2014 by The Sting's Team Leave a Comment

It was the end of February and we were walking around the Ramblas in Barcelona, at the eve of Mobile World Congress 2014, where the Sting was the only Brussels media that made it to Catalunya. Seduced by the smell of paella and cinnamon, there was one major thing that all the people wearing the magic MWC badge were whispering […]