Jan Koum, co-founder and CEO of WhatsApp, reaffirmed the commitment of the mobile messaging service to user privacy once the company’s $19 billion acquisition by Facebook is complete.

In a blog post, Koum (pictured) said there have been “a lot of inaccurate and careless information” about what the partnership with Facebook would mean for user data and privacy.

Koum said respect for user privacy “is coded into our DNA” and that the service was built in a way that allows it to know as little as possible about users.

He pointed out that users aren’t required to give WhatsApp their name, email, date of birth, home address, where they work, what they like, their internet search information or GPS location.

“None of that data has ever been collected and stored by WhatsApp, and we really have no plans to change that,” he said.

New privacy settings were added as part of an update to the messaging app at the beginning of the week. It now offers users the option to adjust who can view their profile photo and their ‘last seen’ time stamp and makes it easier to block other users.

The option for users to choose whether they want to back up their chat history is now easier to find, although this has always been turned off by default.

WhatsApp hit back at claims last week that messages sent and received on its service can be accessed by malicious individuals. The company said in a statement that reports “have not painted an accurate picture and are overstated”.

“Under normal circumstances the data on a microSD card is not exposed. However, if a device owner downloads malware or a virus, their phone will be at risk,” it added.

The company also recommended that users add the latest software updates to ensure they have the latest security fixes in place, and to only download software from reputable companies.