WhatsApp to give users' phone numbers to Facebook for targeted ads

Messaging service will begin sharing private information with Facebook and is preparing to allow businesses to message users

Mobile messaging service WhatsApp will give its parent company Facebook personal information including users' phone numbers, as part of plans to allow businesses to send messages to users.

WhatsApp's billion-plus users will be notified of the change to its privacy policy from 25 August. They will have 30 days to decide whether to opt out of their information being used for ad targeting on Facebook, but will not be able to opt out of their data being sharing with the social network.