WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum on Monday put out word that he is leaving Facebook, which bought the smartphone messaging service four years ago for $19 billion.

Koum said in a post on his Facebook page that he is taking time off to pursue interests such as collecting air-cooled Porsches, working on cars and playing ultimate Frisbee.

US media reports indicated that a disagreement with Facebook over the privacy of user data may have also been a factor in Koum's decision to quit his position as a high-ranking executive and likely leave his seat on the board at the leading online social network.

"It's been almost a decade since Brian (Acton) and I started WhatsApp, and it's been an amazing journey with some of the best people," Koum said in the post.

"But it is time for me to move on."

Acton left Facebook last year to start a nonprofit.

WhatsApp boasts more than 1.2 billion users worldwide.

In a reply to Koum's post, Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said he would miss working closely with the WhatsApp co-founder.

"I'm grateful for everything you've done to help connect the world, and for everything you've taught me, including about encryption and its ability to take power from centralized systems and put it back in people's hands," Zuckerberg said in his written reply.

"Those values will always be at the heart of WhatsApp."

WhatsApp last week raised its minimum age for users in the European Union to 16 years, as the bloc prepares for a new online privacy law to come into force next month.

In an update to its terms of service, WhatsApp said the minimum age for users outside the EU was still 13 years.

WhatsApp parent Facebook has pledged to change how it handles private data to comply with the forthcoming law change.

But unlike WhatsApp, which will only apply the new law to its European users, Facebook plans on rolling out changes for its users worldwide.

The change in the European law was already planned prior to the recent privacy scandal involving Facebook and Cambridge Analytica.

Zuckerberg has spent most of the past month on the fallout from revelations on the hijacking of personal data by the political firm, seeking to assuage fears that the California-based internet colossus can safeguard privacy while making money by targeting ads based on what people share about themselves.

gc/oh

Facebook

Related Links
Satellite-based Internet technologies

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Baidu net profit jumps after video unit spin-off
Shanghai (AFP) April 27, 2018
China search engine giant Baidu on Friday reported net profit nearly tripled in the first quarter after spinning off its video unit as part of a corporate reorientation toward artificial intelligence (AI). The Beijing-based company said net income for January-March soared 277 percent to 6.7 billion yuan ($1.1 billion). "We had a strong start in 2018, with our core business exhibiting robust growth, and we continue to execute on our strategy to strengthen Baidu's mobile foundation and lead in AI, ... read more