WhatsApp has adjusted its privacy policy after it was fined millions earlier this year for not providing sufficient insight into how the chat service handles users’ data. What has changed?
WhatsApp received a from an Irish watchdog earlier this year fine of no less than 225 million euros and was forced to change the privacy policy. Although the chat service is appealing the ruling, it is adjusting its policies to comply with the rules in Europe and the United Kingdom.
More detail
As a user of WhatsApp, you will probably not notice this much. The chat service has said that with the update of the policy, there will be more details about how WhatsApp handles user data. This gives you more insight into how the company collects and uses data. Why is data kept, when is data deleted and how is it secured? WhatsApp answers these questions.
So little will change WhatsApp privacy policy substantive, only more transparency is offered. The extended policy also only applies to the European version of WhatsApp. A different policy applies to users in the rest of the world.
“There will be no changes to the contractual agreements with users and they will not have to do anything to continue using WhatsApp,” the chat service said in a statement.
New privacy terms
Earlier this year, WhatsApp put its users on hold by asking for agreement to new privacy terms. Under the new terms, WhatsApp communication between users and businesses through the platform of meta go walk. Anyone who would not agree to the new policy would no longer be able to use the chat service.
The introduction of the new conditions was eventually postponed several times, but came about in May anyway. Despite this, WhatsApp withdrew an earlier threat that users would no longer be able to use the chat service if they did not agree to the new terms.
Chat without prying eyes
As part of Meta (formerly Facebook), WhatsApp is usually not seen as the best chat app when it comes to your privacy. Facebook CEO Marc Zuckerberg is known for selling his users’ data to earn money. That’s why we previously published an overview of the safest chat apps for you.
WhatsApp says it will continue to work on improving the privacy of its users. Earlier this month, for example, the chat service announced a new feature that allows messages are automatically deleted after a certain time.
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