WhatsApp’s latest terms and privacy policy allow the popular messaging app to share a significant amount of user data with Facebook (via XDA Developers).
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WhatsApp users today receive a notice in the app to inform them of the updated terms of service and privacy policy of the app. The notice provides an overview of the three major updates, which cover how WhatsApp processes user data, how companies can use Facebook-hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats, and how WhatsApp will soon be associated with Facebook to offer deeper integrations around the world. parent company products.
The changes, which will take effect on February 8, 2021, are mandatory and users will not be able to continue using WhatsApp unless they agree to the terms.
The new terms and privacy policy appear to be based on the changes announced in July 2020, but this previous update offered users the option to retain information from their WhatsApp account to share with Facebook. The latest update removes this option.
Users who accept the updated conditions will have the registration and phone number of the WhatsApp account, transaction data, information related to the service, interaction information, mobile device information, IP address and “other identified information … or obtained with prior notice or based on your consent “, shared with Facebook.
When explaining how Facebook will use this information, the policy states that shared data is used to “understand how our services or yours are used,” “improve your services,” “make suggestions for you.” , “customizing features and content” and “displaying relevant offers and ads to the company’s Facebook products.”
The updated terms help WhatsApp to integrate more closely into Facebook’s product family as it aims to provide a more consistent experience to users through the services. While the changes help Facebook achieve its larger goals, the high level of data sharing that WhatsApp users will now be subjected to can lead to privacy issues.
Last month, WhatsApp publicly protested Apple’s requirement that developers submit information about users’ data they collect for privacy tags in the App Store, saying it could give their messaging app a disadvantage. competitive.