WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum to leave Facebook amid privacy flap

WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum is breaking ties with his company’s parent, Facebook, amid a privacy scandal that has dogged the social network for weeks.

Mr. Koum confirmed his departure from WhatsApp on Monday on his Facebook page. The Washington Post reported that Mr. Koum also plans to resign from Facebook’s board of directors. Facebook wouldn’t comment on that report.

Facebook has been trying to defuse questions about whether it can be trusted with the reams of personal information it collects to sell ads and whether its social network does more harm than good.

Mr. Koum didn’t elaborate on his reasons for leaving, other to say it was time to “move on” so he could spend more time “collecting rare air-cooled Porsches, working on my cars and playing ultimate frisbee.”