Chiemo Considers WhatsApp's Blue Ticks Read Receipts Privacy Violation

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Chiemo, Inc., developer of the beta released Chiemo Social Messenger, issued a statement to its users today:

Although the Chiemo Social Messenger is still in beta release, we at Chiemo, Inc. despise any attempts to compromise consumers' privacy. We believe instant communication, whether based on voice or text messaging, is vital in the digital age; however, privacy protection is priceless and can never be compromised.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141117/159024

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By storing and/or displaying when a message has been read it allows individuals and/or vendors to analyze user behavior and this clearly constitutes a privacy violation according to Chiemo's "absolute privacy" commitment.

The first tick is needed to let users know that a message has been sent. The second tick confirms delivery on the receiver's device. The second tick serves the same purpose as the delivery confirmation when sending a package with an express courier service. Chiemo is providing sent and delivered confirmation as well.

WhatsApp's blue third read receipt tick is neither needed nor desirable since it allows the system to analyze user behavior and is considered a serious privacy violation according to Chiemo's irrevocable privacy protection rules.

We at Chiemo not only have a strict privacy policy in place today, we incorporated an irrevocable non-negotiable commitment in our corporate culture not to cross a particular line when it comes to users privacy, and the line is when some or all users knowingly or unknowingly are made uncomfortable. 

In order to ensure "Absolute Privacy" Chiemo is relying on an independent group of users for privacy protection assessments who have to approve a new app release first before it can get published.

Chiemo calls this irrevocable commitment to privacy protection "Stupid by Design."

The whole statement can be read on:
http://chiemo.com/whats-up-with-whatsapp

Thomas Schmidt, Chiemo's Chief User Experience Officer added, "Although Chiemo is already available on Google Play, we are in no hurry to rush from beta release to general availability; we believe 'doing the right thing' works best for us and our users. Consumers desire privacy protection and waterproof safety precautions, whereas enterprises mandate it. In the light of consumerization the business world takes full advantage of products originally designed for consumers, but there is no harm when consumer products are designed to live up to the quality standards of enterprise grade products as well."

About Chiemo, Inc.

Based in Palo Alto, California, Chiemo, Inc. is the designer and developer of  the multi-device cross-platform Chiemo Social Messenger. Guaranteed absolute privacy, optional security levels and a safe gateway (API) for opt-in subscription services make Chiemo the next generation social messenger platform of choice. Learn more about Chiemo at: http://chiemo.com

Press contact:
Thomas Schmidt
650-318-5189
Email

SOURCE Chiemo, Inc.

Related Links

http://chiemo.com