Since WhatsApp became the most widely used resource in the world for communication, companies have been compelled to adopt the application as a work tool.

However, the criteria for the proper use of this technology have generated doubts in the corporate environment. After all, how to exercise governance over professional messages transmitted from personal accounts and on private devices without invading individuals' privacy?

Realizing the vulnerability of communication via WhatsApp, companies have had to think of new alternatives to ensure the security of confidential business data and protect sensitive customer information.

The separation of personal accounts and organizational use is the first initiative to better control employees' interactions with third parties, but is this an efficient approach?

In this article, we will discuss what companies need to do to ensure the confidentiality of conversations via WhatsApp and avoid reputational risks from data leaks, among other negative consequences.

Read also: Personal cell phone and corporate WhatsApp: how does company cybersecurity fare?

Security for users and companies

Choosing to use a collaborator's personal device is a strategy companies adopt as it is a more economical and practical alternative, since the user is already accustomed to the operation of the device and WhatsApp is already installed on it.

However, this practice does not mean that the company's account should be the same as the one already used by the collaborator. Keeping the personal WhatsApp separate from the professional one is necessary to protect the confidential data of both and ensure transparency in communication.

The separation of corporate WhatsApp lends greater credibility to relationships and establishes clear boundaries in interactions. This practice also helps companies comply with the regulations imposed by the LGPD (General Data Protection Law), for example.

Read also: LGPD and WhatsApp: what you need to know

This discussion refers back to the series Rupture (Severance), available on Apple TV. The narrative of the thriller presents an extreme approach to the separation between personal and professional life. In the plot, the characters undergo a procedure that completely divides their memories between work and private life, with one side having no access to the other. Although it is a dystopian fiction, the series raises a relevant debate about the challenges of hyperconnectivity and the impacts of mixing professional and personal life, a real problem that companies face when failing to establish limits on the use of corporate WhatsApp. Even though such a drastic cut as seen in the series is not necessary, setting clear rules and adopting governance solutions in corporate communication is essential to avoid risks to privacy and data security.

Monitoring WhatsApp and governance of corporate communication

More than separating personal and professional accounts, the appropriate strategy to ensure security in interactions through corporate WhatsApp is through monitoring conversations. This way, the company can also monitor the employee's productivity, supervise their conduct during service, and protect strategic information.

Zapper is the first platform in Latin America to monitor corporate WhatsApp accounts for compliance, cybersecurity, and collaboration in business intelligence. The platform oversees the interactions between companies and third parties, regardless of the number of accounts and the devices on which they are installed (cellphone, tablet, notebook).

All content from interactions is saved in the cloud, with exclusive access for an indefinite period, offering maximum security of information and the capacity to store conversations in full.

Zapper only monitors corporate accounts in the Business version, without the risk of accessing the collaborator's personal account, which would be considered an invasion of privacy. The employer can download the platform on each professional's device or request that they download the application with the help of a link or QR Code.

Read also: Monitoring corporate WhatsApp to increase security and efficiency

If any employee disconnects the app, a notification is sent to the manager who can contact the user to request a new connection with Zapper, thus minimizing the risk of using corporate WhatsApp without the manager's knowledge.

Once connected to the platform, Zapper will track the dialogues that occur on the company's number and can send feedback to the manager about contact times or even detect suspicious conversations containing signs of misconduct, sending confidential files, and preventing the disclosure of private company data.

After proper processing of the stored information, meeting the requirements of the LGPD, the data is compiled in the form of analytical reports created from the filters determined by the manager.

Defining usage criteria for corporate WhatsApp for employees and implementing governance solutions in communication through the messaging app are essential initiatives for corporations that want to advance their relationships with the market and streamline operational processes.

Zapper arrives to facilitate this dynamic and assist in raising awareness about the importance of data security. Rely on the expertise of those who are pioneers in monitoring messages!

Click here to schedule a demonstration of the tool.