WhatsApp Delays New Privacy Policy Till May 15 after Backlash

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  • Post last modified:January 18, 2021
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WhatsApp delays new privacy policy to share user data with Facebook after user backlash and confusion.

Recently, the Facebook owned social media messaging platform, WhatsApp rolled out a new privacy policy which compelled user to agree to share their personal data with Facebook or stop using the app.

In an update released by the company, it was stated that the new development was to make the platform more business-oriented.

While not everyone shops with a business on WhatsApp today, we think that more people will choose to do so in the future and it’s important people are aware of these services. This update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook.https://blog.whatsapp.com/giving-more-time-for-our-recent-update/

With the change in policy and terms of use, users can now send messages to someone on WhatsApp through Facebook and Instagram or vise versa.

As this came with an ultimatum that users should agree to the new policy or stop using WhatsApp, many users have condemned the idea.

Many users believed that there could be serious leakages while WhatsApp is sharing their data with Facebook.

For this reason, users have begun to leave WhatsApp for other alternative platforms, such as Signal and Telegram.

Why WhatsApp delays new privacy policy

In response to user backlash, WhatsApp has decided to delay the implementation of the new privacy policy until May 15.

We’re now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. 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. We’ll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15.WhatsApp

They claimed that the policy has been misinterpreted and misunderstood, thereby released a clarification to prevent further damages.

We will always protect your personal conversations with end-to-end encryption, so that neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can see these private messages. It’s why we don’t keep logs of who everyone’s messaging or calling. We also can’t see your shared location and we don’t share your contacts with Facebook.WhatsApp

WhatsApp further affirmed that it has no access to users’ private messages as well as their shared location and doesn’t share its users’ contacts with any third-party platform, especially Facebook.

WhatsApp helped bring end-to-end encryption to people across the world and we are committed to defending this security technology now and in the future.WhatsApp

Some high-profile individuals who have lost interest in WhatsApp, claiming it’s insecure for anyone, include the founders of WhatsApp Jan Koum and Brian Acton.

Similarly, the founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, said Whatsapp is “dangerous” and advised users to quit the platform now.

He warned that WhatsApp users should not be surprised if they find their private pictures on the internet one day.

Pavel has recently seen his users increasing dramatically.

The likes of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Brazil Leader Jair Bolsonaro were found among those who dumped WhatsApp and moved to the cloud-based platform, Telegram.

No wonder Pavel was quick to react to this development and said “it was the largest digital migration in human history”.

Final thought

With the high level of confidentiality of WhatsApp, it’s not going to be easy for external tech experts to evaluate the platform and confirm all the claims which WhatsApp made in defense of its new privacy policy.

So, it remains a mystery how Facebook plans to merge its platforms together without sharing user data among them.

The only advice I can give is that you should reduce your activities on WhatsApp as well as Facebook and Instagram until other tech experts confirm the platforms are safe for user.

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Lawal Rahman

I'm a business administrator, entrepreneur, author, online branding strategist, content marketer, digital consultant, and digital marketing skills coach. I specialize in web and app development, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Jenna Ronan 28 Jan 2021 Reply

    Rahman,

    How do you encourage their new policies in handling their user’s data?

    1. Lawal Rahman 28 Jan 2021 Reply

      My advice is WhatsApp user data should stay in WhatsApp as they claim WhatsApp is a stand alone end to end encryption messaging app and they should be no sharing of data with Facebook.

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