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"WhatsApp has a couple of issues that seem to all be hitting at the same time. One issue appeared January 10, 2021, when WhatsApp group invite links and user profiles started appearing in Google searches. This could allow someone who spotted such links in a Google search to join the indexed groups.

Thousands of user profiles were also indexed by Google, which could lead to a user’s data, including phone number and profile photo, being exposed to outsiders. WhatsApp has reportedly fixed the Google indexing problem — but it may be too late if your data has already been exposed in the wild.

The other issue bedeviling the service right now is their new Terms of Service. Those terms will require users to consent to WhatsApp sharing user data with Facebook. Yes, this is the same Facebook that has been plagued with privacy scandals over the years. And if users don’t consent to this sharing by February 8, 2021, they will not be able to use the service any more."