WhatsApp Co-Founder Leaving Facebook After Reported Clashes Over Security

Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp, is planning to leave Facebook saying that “it is time for me to move on.” Koum announced this news in a Facebook post after spending almost 4 years with the social media company.

It is being speculated that the co-founder has decided to step down from his position after a strife with Facebook over user data privacy of WhatsApp and weakening of encryption in the popular messaging app.

The founders of WhatsApp have always prioritized the independence and protection of its users’ data – which Facebook had promised to preserve when it acquired the messaging app in 2014.

Koum’s concerns had increased over the years, and he wanted stronger data protection for the chat platform. However, Facebook’s management kept on pushing for a weak encryption that could facilitate the new WhatsApp For Business program.

Facebook has plans of making huge profits from WhatsApp by offering such services to prospective business clients and organizations. Koum, who openly criticised advertising in apps, was also unhappy about the parent company’s plans of pushing ads on WhatsApp.

The recent data breach debacle of the social networking giant further drove a wedge further between Jan Koum and Facebook – leading to his departure from the company.

However, Koum wrote in his post, “I’m taking some time off to do things I enjoy outside of technology, such as collecting rare air-cooled Porsches, working on my cars and playing ultimate frisbee.”

He also said that he would continue to support WhatsApp from the outside and Zuckerberg thanked Koum stating he would miss working closely with the executive.

The Facebook’s CEO also commented that security and privacy standards of the messaging service would always remain a priority.

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