If you're using WhatsApp as a messenger service, you've probably seen the message about a change in how personal data will be used and/or processed in the near future, and the prompt to accept this before a given date, or lose your access to WA. The new use of personal data, however, includes permission to share data with Facebook.

Now, for those of us living in Germany, the actual use of data (or what WA is allowed to do with it) will not change significantly, thanks to the DSGVO. I do know that I've groaned about having to jump through a few hoops due to this in the past, especially since not much actually did change - but overall, yes, it's a good thing (and I think I did state that, too, amidst all my groaning).

Regardless, it's not a really good change what WA is planning, and they have more leeway with personal data in other countries, and obviously also plan to use that. So what can you do if you are not happy with having your things passed on to Facebook? There's always the possibility to use a different messenger, of course... such as Signal, Threema, or Telegram.

I had all three on my phone even before the WA announcement, due to different parts of our circle of friends being on one of the services and, due to some reason or other, refusing to use another one.

After the announcement, there's been a kind of WhatsApp Exodus in Germany. So to my rather great amusement, I've had messages on all three of the other services pop up that "XYZ is now using WhatNot!"

The only downside to this? It's getting really hard to remember who is on what messenger service now!