WhatsApp Data Privacy 2026: GDPR Risks, Business Use & Secure Alternatives

How safe is WhatsApp in 2026?

Your messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be read by WhatsApp. From a data protection perspective, the app is still problematic: it collects extensive metadata, chats with the built-in AI Meta AI are not end-to-end encrypted, and since 2026 WhatsApp has also shown ads in the EU. In private use, you can protect yourself well with the right settings; for companies, using it without the Business Platform and a DPA remains risky.

With more than three billion users, WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. Especially in Europe, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies, it is therefore regularly criticised.

What data does WhatsApp collect?

Your messages, calls, photos and voice messages are end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp cannot read them. Metadata – the data surrounding your communication – is a different story. It includes, for example:

• your phone number, profile photo and “About” text
• the type and frequency of your app usage
• information about your smartphone model and operating system
• your IP address and therefore your approximate location
• the phone numbers in your address book, if you allow contact access
• group memberships and time stamps of messages and calls

This metadata can be used to build detailed profiles: who communicates with whom, when and how often.

Does WhatsApp share data with Meta?

Yes, but in a more nuanced way than is often claimed. WhatsApp belongs to the Meta group and uses other Meta companies as service providers, for example for infrastructure, security and spam prevention. According to WhatsApp, data from European users has so far not been used to personalise Facebook or Instagram ads.

Meta bases many processing activities on “legitimate interest” under Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR rather than on consent. This is legally possible, but critics point out that you do not actively agree – you can only object. With advertising in the Updates tab and AI training, this question becomes more important in 2026 (see below).

Meta AI in WhatsApp: What applies in 2026

Since spring 2025, the AI assistant Meta AI has been built into WhatsApp in the EU as well, recognisable by the coloured circle in the chat list. Four points matter for data protection:

1. No way to switch it off completely: Meta AI cannot be deactivated. In newer versions, you can sometimes hide the Meta AI button, but the feature remains part of the app.
2. No end-to-end encryption in the AI chat: Meta can read and process what you write to Meta AI. Your regular chats remain encrypted. Meta AI only sees messages that you or others actively share with it, for example by mentioning “@Meta AI”.
3. AI training with an opt-out: Since 27 May 2025, Meta has used public content from Facebook and Instagram as well as interactions with Meta AI to train its AI. Here, too, the legal basis is legitimate interest. You can object via Meta’s forms, but only with effect for the future.
4. Protection per chat: The “Advanced chat privacy” setting prevents anyone from bringing Meta AI into an individual or group chat. It also stops chats from being exported and media from being saved automatically.

Our recommendation: Do not share personal or confidential information with Meta AI, and turn on advanced chat privacy in all chats where sensitive topics are discussed.

Advertising in the Updates tab

Since 2026, WhatsApp has also shown ads in the EU – but only in the Updates tab, in Status and Channels. Private chats, groups and calls remain ad-free and encrypted. To select ads, WhatsApp uses information such as country, city, language and the channels you follow. If you have linked WhatsApp to Facebook or Instagram in Meta’s Accounts Center, data from those accounts can also be used. An ad-free paid subscription has already been tested in Europe.

Tip: Do not link WhatsApp to Meta’s Accounts Center if you want to avoid this.

GDPR and WhatsApp: your rights

The GDPR gives you, among others, the following rights towards WhatsApp:

• Right of access (Art. 15 GDPR): You can find out what data WhatsApp stores about you. Read more in our article on the GDPR right of access.
• Right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR): You can request the deletion of your data unless retention obligations apply. The easiest way is to delete your account in the app.
• Right to object (Art. 21 GDPR): Where Meta relies on legitimate interest, you can object, for example to the use of your data for AI training.

To request a report on your account data, go to Settings → Account → Request account info in the app. The report is ready after a few days. It contains account and settings data, but no message content. You can find step-by-step instructions in the WhatsApp Help Center.

WhatsApp in the workplace: a compliance risk

Many companies – knowingly or not – allow WhatsApp to be used for business. This creates legal risks as soon as personal data of customers or employees is processed. Common problems include:

• no separation between private and business contacts
• automatic address book syncing transfers customers’ phone numbers to WhatsApp
• no documentation or archiving of business communication
• no data processing agreement (DPA) for the regular app and the WhatsApp Business app

Especially in regulated industries, this can lead to fines. Our recommendation: Use the WhatsApp Business Platform (API) via a provider with a DPA and servers in the EU for customer communication, or switch to a privacy-friendly messenger. Our article How to use WhatsApp for business and stay GDPR-compliant explains how.

Tips for better privacy on WhatsApp

If you continue to use WhatsApp, you can take the following steps:

• Under Settings → Privacy, set the visibility of “Last seen”, profile photo, “About” and read receipts to “My contacts” or “Nobody”.
• Limit who can add you to groups to “My contacts”.
• Share your live location only selectively and for a limited time.
• Turn on the end-to-end encrypted backup under Settings → Chats → Chat backup. By default, backups in Google Drive or iCloud are not end-to-end encrypted.
• Turn on two-step verification under Settings → Account.
• Turn on Advanced chat privacy in sensitive chats.

Are there privacy-friendly alternatives to WhatsApp?

Yes, and they keep getting better:

• Threema – from Switzerland, usable without a phone number, collects only as little metadata as necessary.
• Signal – open source, end-to-end encrypted, run by a non-profit foundation.
• Wire – end-to-end encrypted, with a business version for companies.

Our comparison WhatsApp vs. Signal shows how WhatsApp and Signal differ in detail.

Conclusion: WhatsApp and data privacy – still compatible in 2026?

WhatsApp offers convenience, but at the expense of your data. Metadata, processing based on legitimate interest, the AI that cannot be switched off and the new advertising make WhatsApp problematic from a data protection perspective, especially in a professional context.

In private use, you can significantly improve your protection with the right settings. For companies, the rule is: rely on privacy-friendly alternatives, or put your use of WhatsApp on a sound legal footing with the Business Platform, a DPA and clear policies.

Want to use messengers and other tools in your company in a privacy-compliant way? With heyData’s external data protection officer, you create clear policies, assess providers and document everything in one place.

Take the first step: Book a free demo now