PremiumNEW DELHI: A day after the Indian government asked instant messaging platform WhatsApp to withdraw recent controversial changes it made to its terms of service and privacy policy, the Facebook-owned company on Wednesday said it is “working to address misinformation" and remains available to answer any queries.
“We wish to reinforce that this update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook. Our aim is to provide transparency and new options available to engage with businesses so they can serve their customers and grow. WhatsApp will always protect personal messages with end-to-end encryption so that neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can see them. We are working to address misinformation and remain available to answer any questions," a WhatsApp spokesperson told Mint in a statement.
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The Indian government, on Tuesday, also asked the platform, used by as many as 400 million Indians, to respond to some critical queries on its privacy and data policy within a week.
On 6 January, WhatsApp changed its terms of service, informing users that it will share data with Facebook and third parties, effective 8 February. Users were told to either agree or discontinue using the platform.
The proposed changes sparked concerns over privacy, with users moving to alternative platforms such as Telegram and Signal.
However, following user backlash, the company has deferred the update to May 2021. It has also reiterated that neither it nor Facebook can see personal conversations and that they are safe and protected by end-to-end encryption.
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