Whatsapp Is Scared Even After Billions

By Edoardo Moreni - March, 18th 2014

Whatsapp seems to be trembling even after having closed an acquisition at $19 billion. When you get acquired from a company like Facebook, with that valuation, you should start partying, getting drunk, keep partying and then go back to work, and that’s what they probably did. There won’t be a transition between the two companies in the near future and Whatsapp will try to be as independent as possible.

The truth is that after days of “partying”, Whatsapp has realised that the acquisition might have damaged their image. It’s so easy to say we are different, we care about people, we won’t share any of your data; but when you see $19 billion on the table, you can’t say no. That’s what this company did without hesitating.

If you are the co-founder of a company who just got acquired with that valuation, you shouldn’t be scared about anything. As long as you can express your ideas, thoughts and keep improving your product, you should be happier than before. Now, a 200 billion company is taking care of your financial situation. However Jan Koum couldn’t stop trembling and that’s why he wrote a blog post titled “Setting The Record Straight” on the Whatsapp’s blog.

After expressing excitement about the acquisition, Jan states:

Unfortunately, there has also been a lot of inaccurate and careless information circulating about what our future partnership would mean for WhatsApp users’ data and privacy.

If you believe in the company that has just acquired your product, you don’t write anything. In a single sentence, Jan Koum has been able to compromise the way Facebook treats data and privacy. Even though if Facebook would be able to access WhatsApp users’ data and privacy, where would the problem be?

After recalling the period spent in Ukraine, when he was a child, he continues:

If partnering with Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldn’t have done it. Instead, we are forming a partnership that would allow us to continue operating independently and autonomously. Our fundamental values and beliefs will not change. Our principles will not change. Everything that has made WhatsApp the leader in personal messaging will still be in place. Speculation to the contrary isn’t just baseless and unfounded, it’s irresponsible. It has the effect of scaring people into thinking we’re suddenly collecting all kinds of new data. That’s just not true, and it’s important to us that you know that.

The question is what if they do change? Is it going to make the difference? It looks like Whatsapp has just been acquired by the devil and that they are trying to state their complete independence. If you knew you were signing a contract with the devil, why would you be concerned now?

Then he follows and concludes with:

Make no mistake: our future partnership with Facebook will not compromise the vision that brought us to this point. Our focus remains on delivering the promise of WhatsApp far and wide, so that people around the world have the freedom to speak their mind without fear.

It’s awkward to see how a company cares about what others are writing about it. By caring too much, you end up writing something you don’t want to write. Nothing will change if Whatsapp’s data will end up in Facebook’s hands, and even if something changed, they knew it was going to happen when they signed the contract. Whatsapp should be happy, because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and now, with the assets that Facebook provides, they can really boost their product.

This team is probably scared by what they saw when the acquisition broke the news. Telegram, a service which is providing a similar, more secure and non profit product, saw 8M downloads after the news. Why? Probably because Whatsapp’s image was damaged to the eyes of those that wanted to stay as independent as possible. It’s hard to believe, but there are still people who don’t have Facebook, but use Whatsapp.

Another big factor, which even if it might have been irrelevant to those 8M people, is that Telegram has a mission and it’s not looking for making a profit out of its product. They are building the most secure private messaging app, because they need it and they saw a need in other people’s lives. Instead of getting investors, offers and other issues that would have compromised the company’s image, in terms of data and privacy, they have decided to run a non profit, which makes it the strongest company, in this market, from a cultural point of view.

Whatsapp should keep innovating, without fearing anyone, and even if that fear exists, they shouldn’t show it. They are in an excellent position to turn Telegram in their ping pong table; but war is war and humans make mistakes.