After causing a huge virtual collapse with the announcement of its new privacy policy, and after postponing the implementation of this policy due to online fury, WhatsApp has spent the last few weeks trying not to cause any problems. However, yes just revealed what will happen to users who do not accept their new privacy policy before May 15th.
Apparently, WhatsApp has been sending an email to some of its partner marketers informing them that it will “slowly ask” users to accept the new privacy policy “to have the full functionality” of the app, according to TechCrunch, who saw an email and confirmed its veracity with WhatsApp. The email also pointed to WhatsApp public FAQs page entitled “What happens on the effective date?”
The FAQ page says that WhatsApp will not delete the accounts of users who do not accept the new conditions, but will not be able to use them as they normally do.
“If you have not accepted, WhatsApp will not delete your account. However, you will not have the full functionality of WhatsApp until you accept it. For a short time, you will be able to receive calls and notifications, but you will not be able to read or send messages from the application “, wrote WhatsApp.
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If the “for a short time” part has scratched your head, WhatsApp worked it out, a bit. Users who do not accept the new privacy policy for May 15 will be considered an inactive user and is subject to WhatsApp the existing policy on this front, as detailed below.
“To maintain security, limit data retention and protect the privacy of our users, WhatsApp accounts are generally deleted after 120 days of inactivity,” WhatsApp states. “Content stored locally on a user’s device before deleting the account will be maintained until WhatsApp is deleted from the device. When a user registers back to WhatsApp on the same device, their locally stored content will reappear.”
Now, after reading it, it still wasn’t clear if WhatsApp would delete the accounts of people who have not accepted their privacy policy after 120 days. Gizmodo contacted WhatsApp for clarification. We will make sure to update this blog if we receive news.
In addition to keeping its head down, WhatsApp has been too trying to reassure users who have no nefarious plan to share their personal data with its parent company, Facebook. (It should be noted that tthe company has been sharing basic metadata with Facebook, such as making anonymous phone identifiers, since 2016). To be clear, the new application privacy policy does not affect users that you only use the app to send messages to friends and family at this time. The changes only apply to companies that use WhatsApp to communicate with their customers.
Turned on Thursday, WhatsApp announced that it would start displaying a banner on the app that would provide more information about its privacy policy “so people can read at their own pace.”
“Finally, we will start reminding people to review and accept these updates to continue using WhatsApp,” WhatsApp said.
Interestingly, in the ad, WhatsApp mentioned that it was important for people to know “how we can provide WhatsApp for free.” The company said it charges companies for providing “customer service” to the app and gets Facebook involved so companies can manage their inventory through apps.
Although some users may be outraged by WhatsApp bornw privacy policy, which, remember, does not affect individual users right now, this business update is an important reminder that few things are really free in technology. If a service or app claims to be free, don’t forget you’re probably on it paying it with your data.