>The solution is literally downloading a free app and encouraging others to do the same.

Absolutely not. I'll never touch whatsapp with a ten thousand foot pole. If you aren't tired of facebook ruining people's lives then I don't know what to tell you, but frankly most people who pay attention are sick of FB controlling the planet.

How about instead, you use apps that don't sell your information to literally anyone who will give them a dollar? Like Apple's iMessage.