When WhatsApp announced its requirement for user acceptance of a new privacy policy at the start of 2021, originally slated for implementation by 8 February 2021, panic ensued. Almost overnight people around the world started downloading and installing alternative messaging apps such as Telegram, Signal, WeChat and others. Fearmongering on social media was in overdrive with people dreading a perceived threat that WhatsApp owner Facebook will be within its rights to have access to private messages and other personal, private details shared via WhatsApp, after users accept the new policy. WhatsApp also threatened deletion of WhatsApp accounts if users did not accept the changed policy.