Best Practices for Data Protection on WhatsApp Businesses

WhatsApp Business is a separate app from WhatsApp designed specifically for businesses, allowing companies to create a professional profile, manage customer conversations, and send automated messages.

It's free for small businesses, while larger organizations can integrate WhatsApp with their systems through the WhatsApp Business API.

Using WhatsApp Business provides numerous benefits, including:

- Reaching a wide audience of WhatsApp users

- Offering quick and convenient customer service

- Fostering customer loyalty and satisfaction

- Enhancing your brand awareness and visibility

- Reducing communication costs while improving efficiency

If you can use WhatsApp Business effectively and safely, it can be an excellent tool for customer engagement. Before downloading the app, please be aware of the following:

If you have an existing WhatsApp Messenger account, you can transfer your chat history and media to the WhatsApp Business app. Once transferred, chat history cannot be moved back to WhatsApp Messenger.
You can use both WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Messenger on one device, but each app must be linked to a different phone number; a single phone number can't be connected to both.
WhatsApp Business also poses some risks for businesses, such as:
Not being compliant with data protection laws and privacy regulations, especially the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe.
Exposure of sensitive clients' data to third parties or in breaches.

To set up the WhatsApp Business app:

Download the WhatsApp Business app from the Google Play Store.
Verify your business phone number.
Restore your account from a backup, if you wish.
Set your business name.
Build your profile. Tap More options > Settings > your business name.

Ensure Data Privacy Compliance on WhatsApp Business

One of the first steps to using WhatsApp Business compliantly is obtaining explicit customer consent, or opt-in, in advance. Businesses should explain to customers how their data will be used and stored and be transparent in their interactions.

Recent updates to WhatsApp's privacy policy allow Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, to share more data across its platforms to enhance service and deliver personalized content. For example, changes to its privacy policy in 2021 mean Meta will share more data between Facebook and WhatsApp to improve its products and services, personalize ads and content, and integrate with other Facebook products. Data that may be shared includes phone numbers, contacts, profile information, device details, IP, location, and usage data.

Businesses integrating such features must inform their clients about these practices and obtain their consent, as failing to do so may expose them to regulatory risks.

If your business processes the personal data of EU customers, you must comply with GDPR requirements like having a legitimate purpose, a lawful basis, and a valid contract for data processing.

Additionally, in certain industries, companies must adhere not only to GDPR but also to specific regulatory requirements relevant to their sector. For example, financial institutions often face strict standards for secure communication that may conflict with WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption policies. To comply with regulations, these organizations typically need centralized oversight, secure storage, and a review of all business communications, rather than relying on personal devices.

6 Best Practices for Data Protection on WhatsApp Businesses

Here are a few straightforward ways to make WhatsApp Business a secure tool for your business:

1. Conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) to identify potential risks associated with using WhatsApp Business. This assessment helps you identify privacy concerns early and implement measures to protect customer data.

2. Be transparent with your customers by explaining what data you collect, why you need it, how it will be used, and who may have access to it. Ideally, provide this information before or as you gather data, ensuring that it is simple and clear.

3. Obtain explicit permission from your clients, especially if you plan to use their data beyond messaging, such as for marketing or analytics purposes.

4. Make it easy for your clients to withdraw consent or opt out whenever they wish.

5. Limit data collection to what is necessary and directly relevant to your business needs to minimize exposure.

6. Regularly review your data handling practices, especially when WhatsApp updates its policies or terms of service, and make sure your privacy policies reflect how you use it.

Your Privacy Matters. Settings to Change in WhatsApp Business to Protect it

When you first start using WhatsApp Business, default privacy settings are quite open. For instance, your profile photo, last seen status, and read receipts are visible to anyone on WhatsApp. By default, your contacts can view your status updates and "about" information, while unknown callers can contact you, and anyone can add you to groups. But if this level of exposure isn't right for your business, you can easily adjust these settings.

Adjust Who Can See Your Last Seen, Profile Photo, and About Info

Limit who can view your details details like your last seen status, profile photo, and about information.

How to Do It:

Go to Settings > Privacy, select Last Seen, Profile Photo, or About, then choose from:

Everyone (all users)
My Contacts (only your saved contacts)
My Contacts Except... (exclude specific contacts)
Nobody (keep it hidden from everyone)

Note: If you don't share your last seen or online, you can't see other users' last seen or online. If you select Everyone in settings for last seen or online, only those you've called and messaged before or saved as a contact can see your last seen and online.

2. Control Read Receipts

Decide if you want others to know you've read their messages.

How to Do It: Go to Settings > Privacy > Read Receipts. Toggle off to hide your own read receipts (note: this also hides others' read receipts from you, except in group chats).

Note: If you turn off read receipts, you can't see read receipts from other users. Read receipts are always sent for group chats. If a contact turns off read receipts, you can't see if they've viewed your status updates.

3. Enable Disappearing Messages by Default

Set messages to disappear automatically to protect sensitive information.

How to Do It: Go to Settings > Privacy > Disappearing Messages and set your default message timer to make messages disappear after a certain time frame.

4. Silence Unknown Callers

Block calls from unknown numbers to prevent unsolicited contacts.

How to Do It: Go to Settings > Privacy > Calls and enable Silence Unknown Callers.

5. Update Your Group Privacy Settings

Decide who can add you to groups to avoid being added by people outside your contacts.

How to Do It:

Go to Settings > Privacy > Groups, then select:

Everyone (any user can add you)
My Contacts (only contacts can add you)
My Contacts Except... (exclude specific contacts from adding you)

6. Control Who Can See Your Status Updates

Choose who can view your status updates.

How to Do It: Go to Settings > Privacy > Status, and select:
- My Contacts (all saved contacts)
- My Contacts Except... (exclude certain contacts)
- Only Share With... (choose specific contacts to share with)

7. Manage Live Location Sharing

Turn off live location sharing for added privacy.

How to Do It: Go to Settings > Privacy > Live Location and toggle off the feature for any existing chats.

8. Change Group Privacy Settings

WhatsApp has always allowed anyone with your phone number to message you or add you to a group, just like how anyone can send you an SMS message or email if they have your contact information. By default, your group privacy settings are set to Everyone.

For additional privacy, you can control who can add you to a group:

Open Settings in WhatsApp.

Select Privacy > Groups.
Choose one of the following options:
- Everyone: Anyone, including people outside your contacts, can add you to groups.
- My Contacts: Only saved contacts can add you to groups without approval. If someone not in your contacts tries, they'll receive a prompt to send you a private group invite through chat.
- My Contacts Except...: Only your contacts, except those you specifically exclude, can add you. Excluded contacts who try to add you will be prompted to send an invitation through individual chat.

Note:

Changes to group privacy settings can only be made on the mobile app (they sync with WhatsApp Web and Desktop).
This setting doesn't apply to community Announcements; if you're part of a community, you'll always be added to its Announcements.

How to Secure Your Facebook Business Page From Hackers

Protect your business on WhatsApp Business

One tool that's really helpful for protecting your business reputation, data digital identity is Business Assets Exposure, included in Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security.

Business Assets Exposure keeps an eye on your important business info like your email, credit cards, and social media accounts. If any of this information gets caught up in a data breach, you'll get a notification. Once you've set it up, you can check if you, your employees, or your business have been part of any data leaks. You'll learn about the breach, the service it happened on, and what kind of information was exposed (like your email or username). Hackers look for this information to try to take control of your social media accounts.

Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security provides comprehensive protection specifically tailored for small businesses which are present on social media and use a variety of apps for their daily operations. It includes features like phishing and email protection to block scams before they reach your inbox, malware defense for Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones, Android phones, and Windows servers, and a password manager to create and secure strong passwords, unlimited VPN traffic and Scam Copilot, which utilizes AI to help your team identify scams and enhance their cybersecurity skills.

Check out plans here.

FAQs

What data protection rules most affect WhatsApp Business?

WhatsApp Business must comply with the GDPR and other privacy regulations that protect user data. Key areas of focus include obtaining explicit consent for data usage, ensuring transparency about data collection practices, securing data through encryption, and allowing users to manage their own information. Additionally, it is essential to respect individuals' rights regarding their data, such as the rights to access, rectify, erase, and transfer their information. Any data breaches must be reported to the relevant authorities.

How can I make my WhatsApp Business account private?

To enhance privacy on WhatsApp Business, go to Settings > Privacy and adjust options for Last Seen, Profile Photo, About, and Groups to limit visibility to My Contacts or Nobody. Using the Privacy Checkup tool also helps secure your account by guiding you through key privacy settings.

How does WhatsApp Business differ from WhatsApp?

WhatsApp Business is designed specifically for businesses, offering features that help manage customer interactions more effectively. Key differences include:

Business Profile: Create a professional profile with essential information like business name, address, and website.
Automated Messaging: Set up automated greetings, away messages, and quick replies to enhance customer communication.
Labels: Organize chats and contacts with labels for easier management.
Statistics: Access message statistics to analyze engagement and improve customer service.

Should I Use WhatsApp Business for My Small Business?

WhatsApp Business can be highly beneficial for small businesses. Here are some reasons why:

1. Improved Communication: The platform allows for more efficient communication with customers through automated messages, quick replies, and organized chat management.

2. Professional Presence: You can create a business profile that includes essential information such as your address, website, and business hours, which enhances your credibility.

3. Customer Engagement: It offers tools for interacting with customers, sending updates, and addressing inquiries, leading to improved customer satisfaction.

4. Cost-Effective Marketing: It's a free platform for directly reaching out to customers, making it a cost-effective option for marketing and customer service.