TOBY SHAPSHAK: Facebook treads on dangerous ground
By combining its messaging services, Facebook is treading on dangerous ground with privacy and anticompetitive issues
Facebook intends to combine its messaging apps WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram into a single backend so people can message across the various platforms. While Facebook clearly believes this will make it easier for its users to communicate, the rest of the rational world is alarmed at its unprecedented monopoly of communication getting worse, and potentially compromising our data privacy even more. "The move has the potential to redefine how billions of people use the apps to connect with one another while strengthening Facebook’s grip on users, raising antitrust, privacy and security questions," said The New York Times. "It also underscores how Mr Zuckerberg is imposing his authority over units he once vowed to leave alone," the paper warned. When Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, it said it would let the picture-sharing and messaging apps remain independent businesses. But when you pay $1bn and $19bn respectively you are going to expect a return on investmen...
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