WhatsApp has rolled out a new privacy policy which would commence on February 8. Have you accepted the terms? If yes, did you read it or you rushed down to click I agree? If no, any reason why you are holding back?
WhatsApp’s new policy has raised a lot of eyebrows, made the world ponder how much of information WhatsApp has shared, if there is actually something called ‘Privacy’, and some people ran to other social media platforms such as Signal and Telegram.
WhatsApp issued a statement assuring its users that their information will be secures, no data will be shared and their privacy policy is intact.
Click here to read WhatsApp’s statement.
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Here is what you need to consider before you opt out of WhatsApp or Click ‘I Agree’
According to Techradar, the policy alert mentions key updates, such as how the company processes user data, how businesses can use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats and how the company partners with Facebook to offer integrations across its products.
One of the major changes included relates to its data collection, and it means the users may be sharing your data with Facebook.
What WhatsApp Has To Say About The New Policy
WhatsApp on its site said that “When a user forwards media within a message, we store that media temporarily in encrypted form on our servers to aid in more efficient delivery of additional forwards,”.
“We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services and their offerings, including the Facebook Company Products,” says WhatsApp.
“The information we share with the other Facebook Companies includes your account registration information (such as your phone number), transaction data, service-related information, information on how you interact with others (including businesses) when using our Services, mobile device information, your IP address, and may include other information identified in the Privacy Policy section entitled ‘Information We Collect’ or obtained upon notice to you or based on your consent,” it adds.
WhatsApp Sheds More Light
WhatsApp said it collects user information to be able to provide services and customize the experience for the user.
The information users share with WhatsApp that could now be shared are your phone number, app logs, status messages, your profile name, your profile picture and your IP address.
On its FAQ page trying to respond to the questions and claims going around, WhatsApp said that “We recently updated our Privacy Policy and we have received many thoughtful questions. With some of the rumors going around, we want to answer some of the common questions we have received. We go to great lengths to build WhatsApp in a way that helps people communicate privately’.
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Next Step?
What do you think about WhatsApp’s new policy? Are you cool with it? Would you move to another social media platform to avoid agreeing to the new policy? What do you think WhatsApp should do?
We would love to hear from you on this, feel free to comment here and on our social media page.
