We will not monetise user data through ads: Houseparty

Video chat app Houseparty on Thursday said there has seen a strong growth in its userbase in India, and asserted that it has no plans of monetising user data through ads.

The app was in limelight after reports emerged that hackers were using the app to steal data from users’ smartphones, leading to many users uninstalling the app. Houseparty had said these hacking rumours were part of a “smear campaign” and had even announced a USD 1-million bounty for providing proof of such a campaign.

“Protecting customer data is important to us. We investigated the rumours and found them to be baseless. In fact, we put out a USD 1 million bounty to figure out where it was coming from. We are using industry-trusted encryption and are approved by app stores of Apple and Android,” Epic Games General Manager India and Southeast Asia Quentin Staes-Polet told PTI.