ALWIN LUBBERS SOFTWARE

PRIVACY POLICY FOR 'WA for Legacy iOS'

Your privacy is of the utmost importance, particularly when it involves your chats, messages, and contacts. In this document, we outline the data WA for Legacy iOS collects, why we collect it, and how we intend to protect it. To ensure clarity, we make no distinction between the client app (the app you're currently using) and the server (or WA for Legacy iOS Cloud if you have an active subscription).

In addition to this privacy policy, the Privacy Policy of WhatsApp is applicable while using WA for Legacy iOS. This policy outlines the data types collected by WA for Legacy iOS. However, this does not imply that the data is shared with Alwin Lubbers Software unless explicitly stated otherwise. This Privacy Policy does not cover the types of data that WhatsApp collects while using WhatsApp or WhatsApp Web. Please refer to whatsapp.com for their Privacy Policy.

How does WA for Legacy iOS work?

WA for Legacy iOS aims to bring most of WhatsApp's functionality to legacy iOS devices. Unlike many third-party clients that have attempted to replicate and reverse engineer the WhatsApp APIs used in the official app, WA for Legacy iOS operates differently. It uses a server that essentially functions as a computer with a browser running the official WhatsApp Web release. The server reads chats, messages, attachments, and more from the webpage and converts them into a format that the client (WA for Legacy iOS app on your legacy iOS device) can understand. The server is much more than just a software conduit for WhatsApp Web requests; it includes its own 'Sync Engine,' media encoder, and parser to optimize performance for slow 3G networks and low-power hardware.

Methods We Chose Not to Use for Communication with WhatsApp

We thoroughly explored all possible options during the development of this project, from directly communicating with WhatsApp's back-end server to automating interactions with WhatsApp Web. One significant drawback of attempting to 'clone' the official WhatsApp app (which is essentially what the first option entails) is that accounts using this method are easily detected by Meta and will eventually be banned from using WhatsApp. This means your phone number could be permanently banned from WhatsApp. As Steve Jobs said, "We only want to make products we'd like to use ourselves." Personally, I prefer not to risk my phone number getting banned unless absolutely necessary, so this approach was quickly ruled out.

For each instance of WA for Legacy iOS, a real web browser with a live version of WhatsApp Web runs on a server to back it up. This minimizes the risk of your account being banned. To WhatsApp, it appears as though you're simply using an ordinary Chrome browser with WhatsApp Web. Ultimately, this is the method we chose for WA for Legacy iOS. WA for Legacy iOS only communicates with WhatsApp through this browser instance.

What Data Does WA for Legacy iOS Collect?

On its own, neither the app nor the server collects any data. However, you may enable 'Diagnostics and Reports' in Settings/Profile to automatically send anonymized reports to Alwin Lubbers Software. This allows us to diagnose why the app or server crashed. These device reports may include information about your iOS device such as:

• Your device identifier (e.g., iPhone5,2)
• Your device's iOS version (e.g., iOS 6.1.2 (10B146))
• A stack trace to help us trace the error/crash

Depending on where the app crashed, it may also include the following information:

• Any input you provided to the app (e.g., a message) at the time of the crash.

What WhatsApp Web Data Does WA for Legacy iOS Store on the Server?

WA for Legacy iOS only works by opening a WhatsApp Web instance with your WhatsApp account on a server. This means that certain data will be stored on that server as long as you use WA for Legacy iOS. Of course, we only store the data necessary for WA for Legacy iOS to function. The data stored (but not shared with Alwin Lubbers Software) includes:

• Your WhatsApp Web session token for the server
• Your Chats (including archived ones)
• Your Messages (which may include deleted ones if the server was able to cache them before deletion)
• Media included with Messages (which may include deleted media files if the server was able to cache them before deletion)
• Your WhatsApp contacts (including Groups, WhatsApp ID, and Phone Number)
• Your 'Status'/'About' info (including WhatsApp ID and Phone Number)
• Your Profile Picture
• All of your Contacts' 'Status'/'About' info (including mutual Groups, WhatsApp ID, and Phone Number)
• All of your Contacts' Profile Pictures

WA for Legacy iOS continually caches and stores changed data, such as edited messages or chats, to improve Sync performance. If the server caches certain data that was later deleted (e.g., a message you deleted), it may be stored in the local database for up to 28 days. After 28 days, the server clears old data to enhance performance.

What iOS Device Data Does WA for Legacy iOS Store on the Server?

To improve security, WA for Legacy iOS keeps track of all devices authenticated by the server. You can easily view all authenticated devices under 'Profile/Me' > 'Server/Cloud' > 'Devices'. You may also revoke a device's access at any time from the same menu. WA for Legacy iOS may store the following types of iOS device data:

• The 'friendly'/'user' name of the device (e.g., Mark's iPhone)
• Device model (e.g., iPhone5,2 for iPhone 5 Global)
• Device UDID (unique identifier)
• Device color
• Device iOS version
• First authentication date
• Last activity
• Push Notification (APNs) token (if you've allowed Push Notifications)

WA for Legacy iOS stores this information to make it easier for you to identify devices. Simply telling you that 'an iPhone 5 is authenticated' may not be enough to determine if it's yours. This data will not be shared with Alwin Lubbers Software, Meta Platforms, Inc (WhatsApp) or any third-parties.

WA for Legacy iOS Cloud Payments

Alwin Lubbers Software uses "Stripe" to manage and securely handle all payments for WA for Legacy iOS Cloud services. To process payments, certain personal information will be shared with Stripe for billing purposes. The data that may be shared includes the following:

• Your full name
• Your billing address (including zip code and city)
• Your payment information (e.g., credit card number)
• Optionally, your phone number
• The date of your last payment

This information is collected and retained for up to 6 years and 1 month from the date of your last payment, in compliance with applicable government regulations and financial record-keeping requirements.

Data Security: Only the minimal amount of personal data necessary to process your payment is shared with Stripe. Your payment information is encrypted and handled according to industry-standard security protocols. Your WhatsApp or other WA for Legacy iOS data will never be shared with Stripe or any other third party, except as required by law.

Your Data Security

WA for Legacy iOS uses WebSocket to route requests to your legacy iOS device. WebSocket is a persistent, two-way connection. WA for Legacy iOS encrypts all incoming and outgoing traffic using TLS. This means it will be sent encrypted over-the-air. If you've chosen the 'WA for Legacy iOS Cloud' subscription, the certificate from the server is baked into the WA for Legacy iOS client app. The client app will refuse to communicate with the server unless it uses that specific certificate.

If you decide to host the WA for Legacy iOS Server yourself, you must secure the WebSocket connection using an SSL/TLS certificate. WA for Legacy iOS will never allow unsecured connections. Alwin Lubbers Software will not provide support for the Server or Client app if you choose to host the server yourself.

Your Data & Alwin Lubbers Software

If you choose WA for Legacy iOS Cloud, all of the above data is stored on Alwin Lubbers Software's servers. These servers are located in Berlin, Germany, and comply with the ISO-27001 certification. All of Alwin Lubbers Software's servers adhere to the strict German privacy laws.

Alwin Lubbers Software runs your WA for Legacy iOS Server instance in a virtualized environment, with no open ports to the outside world. Alwin Lubbers Software's servers add several extra layers of security on top of the default security model of the WA for Legacy iOS Server to ensure that only you can connect to your WA for Legacy iOS Server instance.

Alwin Lubbers Software periodically consults with independent developers who are not connected with Alwin Lubbers Software in any way to audit the WA for Legacy iOS client app, Alwin Lubbers Software's servers, and the WA for Legacy iOS Server. These developers, who have a deep understanding of iOS and server technologies, are encouraged to report any privacy or security concerns. We take your privacy very seriously.

Self-Hosted Servers

You may choose to host your own WA for Legacy iOS Server. Alwin Lubbers Software is not responsible in any way for how you manage your server, handle your data security, interact with WhatsApp, the outcomes of your actions or the actions of a poorly configured server. Alwin Lubbers Software will not provide any support for self-hosted servers or client apps connected to self-hosted servers. The margin for error is simply too large.

Legal Basis for Data Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: By using WA for Legacy iOS, you consent to the collection and processing of your data as outlined in this Privacy Policy.
• Contractual Necessity: The processing of your data is necessary for the performance of the services provided by WA for Legacy iOS.
• Legitimate Interest: We may process data for legitimate business interests, such as improving our services and ensuring the security of your data.

Data Retention

We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. The retention period may vary depending on the type of data and the specific legal or business purposes for which it is collected. After the retention period, your data will be securely deleted.

If you cancel your WA for Legacy iOS Cloud subscription, your data will be retained until the end of your subscription period. You may always contact us directly at support@waforlegacyios.com to request that your data should be removed immediately. Alwin Lubbers Software will comply with your request within 48 hours after sending your request.

Your Rights Under GDPR

As a user of WA for Legacy iOS, you have the following rights concerning your personal data if you reside within the European Economic Area (EEA):

• Right to Access: You can request access to the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data not affiliated with WhatsApp or WhatsApp Web.
• Right to Erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data, not affiliated with WhatsApp or WhatsApp Web, under certain circumstances.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your data, not affiliated with WhatsApp or WhatsApp Web, in certain situations.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data, not affiliated with WhatsApp or WhatsApp Web, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your data, not affiliated with WhatsApp or WhatsApp Web, based on legitimate interests.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: If we rely on your consent to process your data, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at support@waforlegacyios.com. Please note that we only have access to the data on the server, not WhatsApp-related data.

International Data Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to, and processed in, countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). When we transfer data outside the EEA, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

Automated Decision-Making

WA for Legacy iOS does not engage in automated decision-making or profiling that affects users. If this changes in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy and inform you accordingly.