Data linked to you: Signal vs iMessage vs WhatsApp vs Facebook Messenger

15 Janaury 2021, Kathmandu

The recent changes made by WhatsApp in their privacy policy have sparked outrage among the people. It has brought many texting app companies and their privacy policies under focus; especially Facebook. This was recently brought under light after the release of a protection tool by Apple, called the App Privacy Label. Apple released the tool during the WWDC 2020 along with its new IOS 14.

So, what is the App Privacy Label? It is simply a rundown of all the details of the data collected by various apps. This has made it easier for users to see which apps track their data and to what extent. While it has rattled the companies that feed on our data, we, consumers have become much aware of the scenario in this data-driven world. And to aware you furthermore we have listed down the data collected by the texting apps which include: Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Signal.

Comparing data from Signal, iMessage, WhatsApp, And Facebook Messenger

From the list below you can see how much information Facebook Messenger collects from its users in comparison to these other applications. WhatsApp collects a bit less data because of the end-to-end encryption while Signal and iMessage offer complete privacy for users’ data.

Signal

• None

iMessage

• Contact Info
  • Email Address
  • Phone Number
• Search History
• Identifiers
  • Device ID

WhatsApp

Analytics

• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Phone Number
• Users Content
  • Other User content
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
  • Advertising Data
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostic Data

App Functionality

• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Financial Info
  • Payment Info
• Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Email Address
  • Phone Number
• Contacts
  • Contacts
• User Content
  • Customer Support
  • Other User Content
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostic Data

Facebook Messenger

Third-Party Advertising

• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Financial Info
  • Other Financial Info
• Location
  • Precise Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Physical Address
  • Email Address
  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Other User Contact Info
• Contacts
  • Contacts
• User Content
  • Photos or Videos
  • Gameplay Content
  • Other User Content
• Search History
  • Search History
• Browsing History
  • Browsing History
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
  • Advertising Data
  • Other Usage Data
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostics Data
• Other Data
  • Other Data Types

Analytics

• Health & Fitness
  • Heath
  • Fitness
• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Financial Info
  • Payment Info
  • Other Financial Info
• Location
  • Precise Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Physical Address
  • Email Address
  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Other User Contact Info
• Contacts
  • Contacts
• User Content
  • Photos and Videos
  • Audio Data
  • Gameplay Content
  • Customer Support
  • Other User Content
• Search History
  • Search History
• Browsing History
  • Browsing History
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
  • Advertising Data
  • Other Usage Data
• Sensitive Info
  • Sensitive Info
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostic Data
• Other Data
  • Other Data Types

Product Personalization

• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Financial Info
  • Other Financial Info
• Location
  • Precise Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Physical Address
  • Email Address
  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Other User Contact Info
• Contacts
  • Contacts
• User Content
  • Photos or videos
  • Gameplay Content
  • Other User Content
• Search History
  • Search History
• Browsing History
  • Browsing History
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
  • Advertising Data
  • Other Usage Data
• Sensitive Info
  • Sensitive Info
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostic Data
• Other Data
  • Other Data Types

App Functionality

• Health & Fitness
  • Health
  • Fitness
• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Financial Info
  • Payment Info
  • Credit Info
  • Other Financial Info
• Location
  • Precise Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Physical Address
  • Email Address
  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Other User Contact Info
• Contacts
  • Contacts
• User Content
  • Emails or Text Messages
  • Photos or videos
  • Audio Data
  • Gameplay Content
  • Customer Support
  • Other User Content
• Search History
  • Search History
• Browsing History
  • Browsing History
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
  • Advertising Data
  • Other Usage Data
• Sensitive Info
  • Sensitive Info
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostic Data
• Other Data
  • Other Data Types

Other Purposes

• Purchases
  • Purchase History
• Financial Info
  • Other Financial Info
• Location
  • Precise Location
  • Coarse Location
• Contact Info
  • Physical Address
  • Email Address
  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Other User Contact Info
• Contacts
  • Contacts
• User Content
  • Photos or videos
  • Gameplay Content
  • Customer Support
  • Other User Content
• Search History
  • Search History
• Browsing History
  • Browsing History
• Identifiers
  • User ID
  • Device ID
• Usage Data
  • Product Interaction
  • Advertising Data
  • Other Usage Data
• Diagnostics
  • Crash Data
  • Performance Data
  • Other Diagnostic Data
• Other Data
  • Other Data Types