Executive of ‘The Safest Place on the Internet’ Answers Privacy Exposé

Image by Whisper

The chief executive of the “anonymous” social media app that The Guardian determined was tracking its users did not dispute the accuracy of the paper’s report and said in his first public statement on the matter, “We realize that we’re not infallible.”

The Guardian reports:

[Michael] Heyward expressed “dismay” that the Guardian, which had previously collaborated with Whisper on three small projects, “published a series of stories questioning our commitment to your privacy”.

“While we’re disappointed with the Guardian’s approach, we welcome the discussion,” Heyward said. “We realise that we’re not infallible, and that reasonable people can disagree about a new and quickly evolving area like online anonymity.”

… The 27-year-old CEO’s remarks contrast with those of his editor-in-chief, Neetzan Zimmerman, who mounted an offensive immediately after the reports were published, accusing Guardian journalists of fabricating quotes and denouncing the reports as “a pack of vicious lies”.

Whisper rewrote its terms of service and privacy policy Monday, four days after learning The Guardian would publish details about its practices. Heyward said the changes were “not related” to The Guardian’s report and that they were finalized in July, though he did not explain why they were not implemented in an update to Whisper’s terms that occurred in September. Explaining the decision to change the terms, he reiterated Monday: “Our communications with The Guardian made it clear that our users would benefit from seeing them sooner.”

Read more here.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly