More privacy in WhatsApp update

WhatsApp for Android has released a new update, which includes new privacy features and the option to pay for a friend's subscription, the Inquirer reports. The update was brought out on Monday. The app's new features include some privacy features which allows users to hide when were last seen, their profile picture as well as their status updates from anybody that might be looking. These might be minimal changes, if looked at in general terms. But the fact that the new privacy settings come after Facebook bought WhatsApp for $19 billion in February is not incidental. The acquisition sparked furor over privacy fears among WhatsApp users. These fears were founded in that Facebook would now be able to get their hands on the entire address books of anyone using WhatsApp, including the details of people who don't even use the app. These concerns are ongoing, as privacy groups called the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the multi-billion dollar deal last week, saying that it poses a privacy threat. Electronic Privacy In Communications (EPIC) pointed out that Facebook is under a 20-year good behavior order from the FTC. FTC has received complaints about Facebook before. EPIC also said that Facebook regularly takes data from the companies that it acquires, and that even though WhatsApp seems to have a good data privacy policy, users can't be sure that Facebook will keep these in play. According to the Inquirer, an FTC investigation into the deal would not be unusual. The Dutch data protection Commissioner and German authorities are already keeping an eye on it. The app's new features also allow users to pay for a friend's subscription. So if a user really wants a friend to have the app as well, they will have to fork out $0.99 a year for the privilege of messaging them. What's interesting is that this feature crosses over to iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry as well as Android. Other changes in the update include a camera shortcut for "quick photo sending", a widget to see unread messages in the homescreen, the ability to send large video thumbnails in chat, and several bug fixes.