Caught in the Network: The Impact of WhatsApp's 2021 Privacy Policy Update on Users' Messaging App Ecosystems

TY - GEN

T1 - Caught in the Network

T2 - CHI '22

AU - Griggio, Carla F.

AU - Nouwens, Midas

AU - Klokmose, Clemens Nylandsted

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - In January 2021, WhatsApp announced an update to their privacy policy, sparking an outcry that saw millions of users install other messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal. This presented a rare opportunity to study users' experiences when trying to leave the world's most popular communication app. We conducted surveys in February and May with 1525 WhatsApp users from Mexico, Spain, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Over a quarter wanted to switch at least part of their communication to other apps, but 74% of them failed to do so. By May, 27% had increased their use of other apps, and only 16% used WhatsApp less. Beyond network effects, users struggled with making informed choices of alternative apps and with differences in their design and functionality. We suggest messaging interoperability as an approach to alleviate switching costs and discuss implications for HCI research and competition regulation of digital services.

AB - In January 2021, WhatsApp announced an update to their privacy policy, sparking an outcry that saw millions of users install other messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal. This presented a rare opportunity to study users' experiences when trying to leave the world's most popular communication app. We conducted surveys in February and May with 1525 WhatsApp users from Mexico, Spain, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Over a quarter wanted to switch at least part of their communication to other apps, but 74% of them failed to do so. By May, 27% had increased their use of other apps, and only 16% used WhatsApp less. Beyond network effects, users struggled with making informed choices of alternative apps and with differences in their design and functionality. We suggest messaging interoperability as an approach to alleviate switching costs and discuss implications for HCI research and competition regulation of digital services.

KW - Competition Regulation

KW - Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)

KW - Ecosystems of Communication Apps

KW - Interoperability

KW - Messaging Apps

KW - Policy

KW - Privacy

KW - WhatsApp

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130536121&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1145/3491102.3502032

DO - 10.1145/3491102.3502032

M3 - Article in proceedings

AN - SCOPUS:85130536121

BT - CHI '22

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

Y2 - 29 April 2022 through 5 May 2022

ER -