Is there a way to stop Whatsapp from copying my entire list of contacts?

Originally Posted by umaima.b.zia

When I first read the message, I was skeptic but the fact that Dkonigsberg_wa didn't deny it...

Dkonigsberg_wa almost always shows up in threads mentioning whatsapp (like you with radio threads), so hopefully this will be 'clarified' soon. I think the answer is the BlackBerry Contacts app itself as far as duplication goes.

Yeah, I remember him quite well, Dkonigsbweg_wa.

What I wanted to point out from "Jan's" post is:

we do a transient check of the phone number in the address book...none of your address book numbers are ever saved or stored on our servers.

But he doesn't say anything about non-phone number contact information, like email addresses, etc.

Here is something from WhatsApp's FAQs.

WhatsApp uses the phone numbers from your phone's address book. WhatsApp does not store any of your information on anyone else's systems. WhatsApp looks at the phone numbers in your address book, then checks to see which of those numbers are verified in WhatsApp. This allows any WhatsApp users from your address book to appear as contacts in your Favorites / Select contact screen and the Chats screen. During this entire process, only the phone numbers are sent to WhatsApp for lookup, securely, over an encrypted connection. No other information, such as names, emails, and addresses are sent. So that you know who you are chatting with, the app then displays the names from your address book.

Originally Posted by RedxD

They don't copy anything, they just show the info that's already on your phone, there's an api for it(I actually have been working with the contacts API lately), they do read the data from your phone but your phone number( is all they send to their servers.

Thank you for clearing that up for me. It helps. I don't have a clue what an API is, but I understand what you're saying.

If Whatsapp doesn't store (and preferably even doesn't see) email addresses etc., that's a relief. It doesn't completely solve the privacy issue, though, as Canadian and Dutch privacy authorities have pointed out:
https://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/20...c_130128_e.asp
(i.e., they store on their servers all of your phone numbers, including those of non-whatsapp users).

So, I still wonder, does anyone out there know a way to have one dedicated contacts list for whatsapp, and another list of contacts that whatsapp doesn't access, both on the same phone?
Or even a way to add a contact to the address book so it's not detected by whatsapp?


Thanks to all you people for all the replies!! :-)

Hey, you dropped your tinfoil hat.

Originally Posted by lenze

So, I still wonder, does anyone out there know a way to have one dedicated contacts list for whatsapp, and another list of contacts that whatsapp doesn't access, both on the same phone?
Or even a way to add a contact to the address book so it's not detected by whatsapp?


Thanks to all you people for all the replies!! :-)

Not possible (and not practical?!)
I just felt like going around the roundabout and coming to square one *dizzy*

Is there a way for my Ferrari to run on water instead of gas?

Originally Posted by umaima.b.zia

Not possible (and not practical?!)
I just felt like going around the roundabout and coming to square one *dizzy*

Fair enough. Apologies if I overreached.
And thanks again for all your help!

Yes: don't download it in the 1 st place problem solved.

Send from the amazing powers of the  Z30

@lenze--suppose you do find a way to accomplish what you're trying to do. How do you plan to build your Whatsapp contact list, if each new contact you pick up gets added to the "hidden from Whatsapp" list? Because once you add them to the list Whatsapp can see--even if to find out if they're using Whatsapp or not--it would be pointless to take them off that list, no? Are you going to ask each person whether they use the app or not, so that you can add them to the appropriate contact list?

Originally Posted by raino

@lenze--suppose you do find a way to accomplish what you're trying to do. How do you plan to build your Whatsapp contact list, if each new contact you pick up gets added to the "hidden from Whatsapp" list? Because once you add them to the list Whatsapp can see--even if to find out if they're using Whatsapp or not--it would be pointless to take them off that list, no? Are you going to ask each person whether they use the app or not, so that you can add them to the appropriate contact list?

Yes. I wouldn't want to add anyone to my whatsapp contact list, before asking him/her first. I am like that; can't help myself. So my whatsapp contacts would be on both lists.

Originally Posted by lenze

Yes. I wouldn't want to add anyone to my whatsapp contact list, before asking him/her first. I am like that; can't help myself. So my whatsapp contacts would be on both lists.

Admirable!

I was just poking around BBW and Google and came across this app 'Ghost contacts'. It saves numbers, emails and BBMs. In your context, it would work just like the SIM method. But again, this would be a hassle as none of the other apps would detect those contacts to actually share anything.

A solution that I see (probably in the long-term) is for BlackBerry to give us an option to 'hide contact from whatsapp' which would be so cool.

I don't own a Blackberry however if my galaxy s4 save contacts in the same way then this may be helpful to you.

****UPDATE: I figured it out! When I went into my contact list it automatically saves to your phone UNDER MOBILE. So I went into the very 1st contact I had that was under mobile. There is a pull-down menu there at the very bottom it says custom. I changed it to "cell number" went back into whatsapp & it is no longer there! Every single 1 of these that are under "mobile" because that's the default when you add a new Contact there that's how you get rid of them, just take it off of the mobile setting go to custom & rename it. lt works! 😀 ***
I recently did the latest update for my whatsapp & it decided 2 add in my entire address book. My phone is used 4 business only. Social Security, Medicare lawyers, police, drs & now all of a sudden they're in my whatsapp asking me 2 invite them. The only way 2 get them out according 2 FAQ is 2 delete the contact altogether from my Google address book which I refuse 2 do.*
Is anyone else getting the same thing when they did the update? I contacted whatsapp as always I got the stock answer go 2 our FAQ blah blah blah.. so I know there are huge issues w/this update but Idk how 2 get them out of my whatsapp.
I talk to 5 people that is it but now everybody's there. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will not delete my address book I already unlinked the ones that are there that I don't want but it doesn't matter they're still showing up.
I would add a pic but that would require blocking out all the phone #s however if someone wants a pic then I will put 1 up. Right now I just need help. Thank you.

Originally Posted by 93tilEternity

I don't own a Blackberry however if my galaxy s4 save contacts in the same way then this may be helpful to you.

****UPDATE: I figured it out! When I went into my contact list it automatically saves to your phone UNDER MOBILE. So I went into the very 1st contact I had that was under mobile. There is a pull-down menu there at the very bottom it says custom. I changed it to "cell number" went back into whatsapp & it is no longer there! Every single 1 of these that are under "mobile" because that's the default when you add a new Contact there that's how you get rid of them, just take it off of the mobile setting go to custom & rename it. lt works! 😀 ***

Thank you for your post. This is indeed an ingenious solution, but unfortunately, it's not possible to create custom fields in the BB10 contacts app...or at least in 10.2.1, I should say. Quite an OS oversight, IMO.

Thanks for your reply, @93tillEternity! And @raino, too. I'll need to dedicate some time to revisit this problem/situation again (and I will). I found options for default email/contacts list on my phone, but I'll want to try things out before I know whether this is a solution. BTW, I use OS7, not BB10 ;-) I'll be back!

Originally Posted by 93tilEternity

****UPDATE: I figured it out! When I went into my contact list it automatically saves to your phone UNDER MOBILE. So I went into the very 1st contact I had that was under mobile. There is a pull-down menu there at the very bottom it says custom. I changed it to "cell number" went back into whatsapp & it is no longer there! Every single 1 of these that are under "mobile" because that's the default when you add a new Contact there that's how you get rid of them, just take it off of the mobile setting go to custom & rename it. lt works! �� ***
I recently did the latest update for my whatsapp & it decided 2 add in my entire address book. (...) I will not delete my address book I already unlinked the ones that are there that I don't want but it doesn't matter they're still showing up. (...)

To be honest, I don't quite follow.. I think I was/am looking for either one of two options: create a separate contacts list to be used only by Whatsapp, or somehow hide the contacts in my list from Whatsapp. Which one are you doing? Or is it something else?
I can't find an option to change a contact from "default" :-( If I create a new contact, I can only save it as "default" which shows in a pull down-menu that, however, doesn't give me more options. Though my phone's manual says I can have multiple contacts lists, in reality I can't, unless I'm missing something.
There's an option to add custom fields in my contacts, but that doesn't change the contact from showing in Whatsapp, and is probably just a way to add more information. Again, unless I'm missing something.
In the S4's manual I found an entry "marking the contact as default". Is that what you mean? I don't seem to have that option on my phone, though.

Now as for Whatsapp copying your entire contacts list: that, of course, is exactly the question of this thread. Except it has always done so, not after an update. When you say you 'unlinked' the contacts you don't want there, is that the same thing you decribe in your solution?
At any rate, I have no solution, having the same problem myself. People earlier in this thread say Whatsapp doesn't actually copy this information beyond the app on your phone itself. Which may or may not be of comfort. I agree though that all this info shouldn't be in the Whatsapp-app, or that we at least should have the option to opt out.

Yes, deinstall Whatscrapp and never use it again

CB10 - Passport