In response to a lot of misinformation regarding its data-sharing and privacy policy, WhatsApp is giving more time for users to accept or delete their WhatsApp account.
Previously, WhatsApp has given users a deadline to delete users’ accounts by 8th February 2021 if they do not accept the newly updated terms and privacy policy. There has been a lot of debates going on... to stay or move to other competitors!
Take your time to decide! It will no longer be 8th February 2021!
On 15th January 2021, WhatsApp has announced that they will postpone the initial 8th Feb deadline so that users can further review the updates, take their time to understand, and accept the new terms and privacy policy.
“No one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8. We’re also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp,” as mentioned by the company on WhatsApp Blog.
Photo Courtesy of WhatsApp on Twitter
With the new updates, there will be no changes to how WhatsApp protects our personal conversations and calls with end-to-end encryption.
Thus, both WhatsApp and Facebook will not be able to read our private chats or listen to our calls. WhatsApp also does not keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling and cannot view our shared locations. They do not share our contacts with Facebook as well.
“Instead, the update includes new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data,” as stated on WhatsApp Blog.
The new updates are basically more relevant to users who shop and interact with business accounts on WhatsApp.
The company can use the information exchanged by users and business accounts through their messages and their shopping activity for marketing purposes. Hence, users will have a more personalised shopping experience on Facebook, and businesses will send users more targeted advertising.
This Facebook-owned messaging service also added, “We’ll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15.”
Therefore, there might be a possibility that the new deadline to accept the updated terms and privacy policy will be extended until 15th May 2021.
Let’s wait and see for further news!
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References:
WhatsApp Blog (website)
The Straits Times (website)