WhatsApp caused a user stampede to rival encrypted messaging app Signal by sending users new terms and conditions.

Users were panicked by the notification WhatsApp sent out, thinking it meant the app would share more data with Facebook, its parent company.

In fact, WhatsApp was already sharing their data with Facebook — all the notification did was draw attention to it. //

What WhatsApp accidentally did with its notification was to highlight to users exactly how much of their data it was already sending back to the Facebook mothership. //

Woodward also pointed to WhatsApp's collection of metadata. "The perverse thing is that WhatsApp encryption is based upon the same as used by Signal, but whilst [WhatsApp] keep the content if your messages confidential they do harvest some metadata, and knowing who talked to whom, when and for how can be valuable data in targeting advertising by identifying affinity group," he said. //

While the new WhatsApp notification appears to be a PR blunder, Woodward doesn't think WhatsApp is in deep trouble long-term.

"WhatsApp still has a critical mass of users and many are quite relaxed about the unwritten social contract that says you can use our service for free in return for us using your data to make a profit," he said.