There are several risks for the users to use FM WhatsApp. Another point of concern is security Although the official WhatsApp is always struggling, FM WhatsApp available on Google Play Store can be downloaded only through third party websites. When the modified version downloaded from another source of program, it widespreads malware or spyware with everyone. In a cybersecurity report from Symantec, it was shown that third-party apps are 27% more likely to be infected with malware.
Another huge risk is related to privacy. FM WhatsApp promises changes as hiding last seen status and disabling read receipts, but to implement them typically will need permissions which might compromise personal information. For example, the application can use your contacts or messages and any media files. A research from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) revealed that apps demanding extra permissions are 35% more likely to abuse user data.
Legal risks also exist. Due to FM WhatsApp being a modification of the original app, it goes against the terms and conditions set by Whatsapp. This violation is enough to block the account, either temporarily or permanently from access offical WhatsApp service. According to The Verge, WhatsApp removed more than 2 million accounts for just one month that had used unofficial versions of the app in a high-profile case.
The issue of performance is also pretty worrisome. Due to its freestyle code and dropped official support, FM WhatsApp will make your device struck into getting slow and crashes. According to a user survey by TechRadar, 40% of FM WhatsApp users faced performance issues that were better compared to the official app.
It is simply due to the compatibility and update deviation that we face these additional challenges. Since the official WhatsApp is more up to date compared to FM WhatsApp it means that there might be compatibility issues between newer versions of Android and old one. This is best depicted in the example of major Android updates; users are normally only able to use FM WhatsApp after a few weeks or even months, during which time their device remains vulnerable as bugs from previous versions have not been addressed yet.
While FM Whatsapp offers additional features, the user experience is usually the least stable and most unreliable of any WhatsApp mod. What might attract to users is functionality like custom themes and more emoji wallpapers, but those kinds of modifications could also fuck up stuff. However, a report by Android Authority says that 30% of users faced issues affecting their messaging experience in its previous bundle.
To sum up, using FM WhatsApp poses risks to security (and data), privacy and legality; may compromise performance of the device itself and prolong update support. But ultimately, users will have to balance these risks against the app's utility and evaluate whether those new features are worth potential downsides.