Is it harmful to use third-party WhatsApp applications….

Whatsapp is owned by Facebook (which is currently known as Meta), Meta-owned WhatsApp has brought in a new privacy update to prevent unknown contacts to see a user’s last seen and online status. This new feature has been reportedly rolled out for both Android and iOS-enabled devices.

As meta try to maintain their user's privacy on the other hand some unknown people try to exploit Whatsapp privacy using third-party-application —

YOWhatsApp

YoWhatsApp comes with a feature that allows you to lock WhatsApp without any 3rd party App Locker. The app also allows you to hide your last seen for a selected number of contacts, something you can’t do with the official WhatsApp app.

GB WhatsApp

GB WhatsApp is a big challenge in front of the Meta universe, GB Whatsapp provides many features for its users — -

GBWhatsApp Features

• Auto-Reply Feature
• Improved Privacy options.
• Ability to hide last seen.
• Ability to hide the message delivered
• Ability to hide Read Receipts.
• Hide last seen for specific contacts only.
• Set Group name up to 35 characters.
• Ability to save any WhatsApp story to phone.
• Copy the status of contacts simply by tapping on their status.
• Ability to send all files (Eg. Apk, etc)
• Ability to set your status up to 255 characters instead of the traditional 139 characters.
• Ability to send a broadcast to 600 people instead of 250 people.
• Ability to copy the status selectively.
• You can now click on the links right away without having to save the sender’s number or the Group Admin’s number.
• Mod to distinguish between normal messages & broadcast messages.
• Option to stay online for 24 hours, obviously on the cost of battery consumption.
• Ability to call directly on the phone from the app itself.
• Changing the bubbles styles & the tick styles.
• You can Mod any aspect of the app as you wish.
• Ability to Pin More than 3 Chats.
• Show Contacts Tab in Different Style.
• The possibility of sending a 50 Mb video instead of 16 Mb.
• The possibility of sending a 100 Mb audio clip instead of 16 Mb.
• The possibility of sending 90 images in a single time instead of 10 images.
• You can hide the name & date when you’re copying two or more messages.
• You can download and change the theme of the app.

Actions are taken by Meta for GB WhatsApp users

The unauthorized version of WhatsApp is referred to as “WhatsApp mods” and using a modded version violates the terms and conditions of the company. Users should always download the original version of WhatsApp which is readily available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. No third party or clone apps of the original app should be downloaded either from the Play Store or from the third-party app store.

As far as the GB WhatsApp, it cannot be downloaded through app stores, but only through APK. It is no secret that most APK links are infested with malware. The app has been developed by third-party developers. The app can be downloaded to Android and iPhones. It apes the original WhatsApp but comes with a few additional features that might have attracted users. Some of the features include dual WhatsApp accounts on the same device, hidden message ticks, Auto-reply, long video status, and more. Interestingly, WhatsApp is still working on the multi-device support but the GB WhatsApp already has it.

However, no matter how appealing the app is, it is still a third-party app and hence unsafe to use. There is no information about how the app takes care of the user’s privacy and security, whether the chats are safe or not. There are just too many loopholes that should prohibit users from downloading any such modded version of WhatsApp. By downloading such apps, you not only compromise your security but also end up losing access to WhatsApp, which is an integral part of our day-to-day life.

WhatsApp has always warned users against using a modified version of its app. In 2019, WhatsApp had banned many accounts that were associated with the GB WhatsApp. The ban was temporary but came with a warning that if users do not switch to the original, they will get banned from WhatsApp permanently.