Technical / WhatsApp begins notifying users to accept updated privacy policy by May 15

Technical Desk: WhatsApp showcased its updated terms of services and privacy policy, which caused a major stir in the public regarding their privacy. The company was initially supposed to roll out its new privacy policy on February 8 but was then delayed to May 15. With the date closing in, the company has started issuing reminder notifications to its users, to accept the privacy policy.

The reminder notification states, “The terms and privacy policy go into effect on May 15. Please accept these updates to continue using WhatsApp after this date.”

What happened?

The new privacy policy raised concerns among users that WhatsApp would now share their private conversations with Facebook. Due to which a lot of its users started shifting to other instant messaging apps like Telegram and Signal. This is when the company announced the delay of implementation and started issuing multiple clarifications stating that all of the personal chats a user has are end-to-end encrypted, due to which no one except for the receiver and sender has access to them. The new privacy policy would help Facebook gain WhatsApp Business data and would provide access to the Business chats, for helping them better monetise their services.

What is the new notification?

WhatsApp in its new reminder notification states that it is not changing the privacy of user’s personal conversations, which will remain end-to-end encrypted and will never change. It adds that this will make it easier for businesses to chat using Facebook tools. It also states that chats with these businesses are optional and will be labelled on the app.

WhatsApp in India?

To recall, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) recently asked WhatsApp and the Centre to furnish a reply to a plea alleging lower standards of privacy for Indians in comparison to European counterparts. The apex court stated that “people have grave apprehensions that they will lose their privacy and it is our duty to protect them.”

The Centre during the hearing stated that social media apps like WhatsApp cannot share data of users and that all user data must be protected. Whereas, WhatsApp said that if a similar law to GDPR is introduced in India, the company will follow it.