There is a date circled in red in the calendar for those who use WhatsApp. On May 15, WhatsApp’s terms of use and privacy policy will be updated “permanently”: if we do not immediately accept the new terms, the app’s functionality will be gradually restricted and after a few weeks it will not be possible to use it. He. She.
What happens on WhatsApp on May 15th
If no user has already accepted WhatsApp’s new “controversial” terms of service by next Saturday, the app will in fact begin to disable features. In practical terms, the “pop-up” screen asking users to accept the terms of service set by Facebook, WhatsApp’s parent company, will become permanent, as users have to click to use WhatsApp directly. But nothing drastic and immediate other than what was said until recently. Users will still be able to interact with the app in various ways “for a few weeks” (number unknown), such as receiving calls, answering messages, or answering missed calls.
The company explained that “after a few weeks of limited jobs, you will not be able to receive incoming calls or notifications, and WhatsApp will stop sending messages and calls to your phone.” At this point, users will have to choose: either accept the new terms, or stop using WhatsApp and move to one of the many alternatives. This softer approach is unusual for Facebook, which has historically imposed new terms of service by putting up a non-skippable approval screen on the first day. Already in January the company tried for the first time Update terms of service.
The tech giant is forging ahead this time. Reason? Millions of users have downloaded alternative apps like Signal and Telegram after WhatsApp announced that the new terms will take effect on February 8th. The viral messages quickly spread to alarming chains, according to which the new agreement will give WhatsApp the right to read users’ messages and deliver the information to Facebook. So WhatsApp was forced to delay the update and launch an ad campaign explaining that the New Deal was simply focusing on a new set of features allowing users to send messages to companies on the app. Niamh Sweeney, Director of Public Affairs for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said repeatedly, “There are no changes to data sharing with Facebook anywhere in the world.”
In Germany, the Hamburg Privacy Authority issued a three-month emergency ban on the new conditions coming into effect, arguing that they are vague, inconsistent, and too broad. Facebook said the ban was “based on a fundamental misunderstanding” of the update.
WhatsApp, the real news from Saturday May 15th
Now the countdown is a reality and within 72 hours at the most, it will be necessary to decide whether to continue using WhatsApp, accept the new policies, or move to new platforms such as Signal, Telegram, Wickr, Threema, Wire and Confide.
It should be emphasized that, regardless of controversies and doubts about privacy, it is the business version of WhatsApp, which companies mainly use to communicate with their customers, to see some significant changes from May 15 onwards. Although there are various restrictions, companies will be able to use the data contained in the conversations for marketing purposes, which will also affect ads on Facebook and other social networks.
On the other hand, according to what has emerged so far, there is no big news for the privacy of users who use the standard version of the application: in particular, the company announces that chats will continue to be protected by a strong end – the end-to-end encryption algorithm that blocks a third party (including WhatsApp ) From intercepting content (such as shared files and messages that are exchanged in the chat).
No accounts will be deleted on May 15th and no features will be lost as a result of this update. What happens if you decide to delete your WhatsApp account instead? If someone keeps deleting their WhatsApp account, they should know that it is an irreversible process. After deleting, the backup copy and all message history will be permanently deleted.
Facebook and WhatsApp already today share some of their users’ data, such as the phone number provided during registration and some information about the technological device used (such as the version of the operating system and the application and tracking the various approvals granted over the years), but WhatsApp does not share your personal information with Facebook to improve your experience with Facebook products or To provide you with more relevant Facebook advertising experiences.
WhatsApp, the new rules and the European Union’s Privacy Commission: the important point
