WhatsApp location tracking

snafu

Hi,

can anyone answer me a question regarding permissions? I consider installing WhatsApp again after years, but obviously I want it to steal as few as possible metadata. I am thinking of putting it into a separate user profile with always on VPN because I don't want it to track my location by IP. Question would be now: If I give WhatsApp only the bare minimum permissions (internet permission?), is it able to track my location e.g. by reading out nearby WiFis or reading out the radio cell my telephone is currently logged into? Anything else to consider?

Thanks!

matchboxbananasynergy

snafu The location permission gates location data, an app can't just arbitrarily get location data like that without it.

23Sha-ger

https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.whatsapp/latest/

For me, I managed to reduce it to the bare usable minimum with:
1) Camera
2) Microphone
3) Network
4) Notifications
5) Contact Scopes

But if you only plan to text, first 2 can be removed as well. If you plan to exchange files, then storage
scopes is optional. Not sure a VPN is required, since it's E2E already and if you either have a throwaway
number like in my case, or your real number, in both cases a VPN will only hide Whatsapp from your ISP,
which I don't consider useful by itself since it's a very common app.

de0u

23Sha-ger Not sure a VPN is required, since it's E2E already and if you either have a throwaway number like in my case, or your real number, in both cases a VPN will only hide Whatsapp from your ISP, which I don't consider useful by itself since it's a very common app.

But I believe the original poster asked about a VPN to hide OP's IP addresses from WhatsApp's servers.

Byku

23Sha-ger So giving it access to phone and call logs is unnecessary? Good to know. Or does it hamper the ability to make/log WhatsApp calls?

23Sha-ger

de0u But I believe the original poster asked about a VPN to hide OP's IP addresses from WhatsApp's servers.

Yes, and my explanation is that you either give WhatsApp a throwaway number during registration or your real one, in both cases there is little a VPN can do in order to anonymize you further. IP address by itself is a very general metric and hardly fingerprints a specific user with modern CGNAT implementations, given the popularity of the service.
Same works with Google accounts for the sandboxed play services, since I use a throwaway one, I don't feel the need
to hide my IP address from Google when I update apps or receive push notifications, if this example works.

snafu

23Sha-ger Thanks, but it's not so much about being anonymous, I know that this is hardly possible with WhatsApp. It's more about reducing the metadata they steal and my current location is an important one since I am traveling a lot. Hence the VPN and hence the question if they can steal the location through other channels.

PaulDavis

Perhaps use a GPS location faker, and put yourself elsewhere. Then they will have 3 different locations to play with

23Sha-ger

Byku
That's integration to the Dialer app, where WhatsApp calls are shown near the regular ones.
The app will work fine without this permission.

Byku

23Sha-ger Thanks.

snafu

matchboxbananasynergy Thanks! I guess then I am at least kind of safe regarding location stealing when using WhatsApp and giving it only internet permission (+VPN).

snafu

Just found out that the timezone seems to be a setting for the whole phone, not individually for each profile, which means they can still track me at least very roughly. @matchboxbananasynergy Do you know if it would be possible to implement this as additional feature?