This popular app is going to share your phone number with Facebook

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As part of an update to its terms and privacy policy, the popular messaging service WhatsApp will start sharing data with Facebook, including users’ phone numbers.

WhatsApp to share phone numbers with Facebook

Read more: Facebook is giving you more control over the ads you see

WhatsApp says sharing information with Facebook, its parent company, will help them more accurately count unique users and better fight spam and abuse. Those who have accounts with both services might see more relevant ads on Facebook.

“And by connecting your phone number with Facebook’s systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them. For example, you might see an ad from a company you already work with, rather than one from someone you’ve never heard of,” read an excerpt from WhatsApp’s website.

WhatsApp says it will share your verified phone number and the last time you used the service with Facebook and the Facebook family of companies. However, the content you share on WhatsApp won’t be available for others to see.

If you don’t want to share your account information with Facebook, don’t accept the new terms. Instead, uncheck the box that looks like this:

This popular app is going to share your phone number with Facebook

You also have 30 days to opt out by going to Settings > Account > Share my account info.

Read more: How to see everything Google knows about you

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