BackWhatsApp scraps 15 May deadline for accepting privacy policy terms: Report
WhatsApp had faced severe backlash over user concerns that data was being shared with parent company Facebook
PremiumFacebook-owned WhatsApp's new privacy policy was responsible for many events in the last few months. From the rise of alternative instant messaging apps such as Signal and Telegram to citizens, in general, becoming more aware of how data privacy works.
Now, WhatsApp has scrapped its 15 May deadline for users to accept its controversial privacy policy update and said not accepting the terms will not lead to deletion of accounts.
WhatsApp had faced severe backlash over user concerns that data was being shared with parent company Facebook.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said that no accounts will be deleted on 15 May for not accepting the policy update.
"No accounts will be deleted on May 15 because of this update and no one in India will lose functionality of WhatsApp either. We will follow up with reminders to people over the next several weeks," the spokesperson said on Friday.
"We've spent the last few months working to clear up confusion and misinformation. As a reminder, this update does not impact the privacy of personal messages for anyone. Our goal is to provide information about new options we are building that people will have, to message a business on WhatsApp, in the future," the spokesperson stated.
The company spokesperson added: "While the majority of users who have received the new terms of service have accepted them, we appreciate some people haven’t had the chance to do so yet."
WhatsApp's privacy policy: A quick recap
WhatsApp's privacy policy is a set of terms that allow the messaging platform to keep account of and share user data with its parent firm Facebook.
However, the policy affects WhatsApp Business accounts and not the regular WhatsApp accounts. The data that WhatsApp will have access to includes phone numbers and transactional data. Check out the link below for a more detailed explanation of what the privacy policy is.
Keep in mind that your private messages remain end-to-end encrypted and therefore are still secure, and will continue to be, after WhatsApp’s new policy comes into place.
"The information we share with the other Facebook Companies includes your account registration information (such as your phone number), transaction data (for example, if you use Facebook Pay or Shops in WhatsApp), service-related information, information on how you interact with businesses when using our Services, mobile device information, your IP address, and may include other information identified in the Privacy Policy section entitled ‘Information We Collect’ or obtained upon notice to you or based on your consent," WhatsApp said in an FAQ page.
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