WhatsApp’s new privacy policy will go into effect on May 15, giving users less than a month to approve it. This isn’t meant to imply that we’re promoting the new privacy policy and advising the audience to accept it; rather, we’re attempting to convey that there is currently no new option.
WhatsApp has already stated that users who do not approve the updated privacy policy by May 15 will see their app’s features limited, including the inability to send or receive messages. Furthermore, the messaging app has stated that users who refuse to accept the new privacy policy will receive calls and updates for a few weeks, after which the policy for inactive users will take effect. In case you didn’t know, WhatsApp’s inactive account deletion policy says that accounts would be removed after 120 days of inactivity.
source: indianexpress.com
When WhatsApp’s latest privacy policy goes into effect on May 15, the following is what the company claims will happen to users: “We’ve extended the effective date to May 15 to allow you enough time to review the changes at your time. WhatsApp will not uninstall your account if you have not agreed by then. However, you won’t be able to use WhatsApp to its full potential before you agree. You’ll be able to receive calls and updates for a limited period, but you won’t be able to read or write messages from the app.”
Users who have not yet approved the new privacy policy will have to continue using the service, users must approve it, or they can switch to alternative messaging apps like Telegram or Signal.
Recap: WhatsApp’s Privacy Policies
WhatsApp began 2021 with an in-app notification informing users that they had until February 8 to accept the revised privacy policy. That was added because the parent company planned to grow e-commerce. Users who wanted to keep using the service after the deadline had to accept the new terms, according to the warning. The alert was sent out in the first week of January 2021, and India’s reaction to Facebook-owned WhatsApp was swift.
Many people misread the warning as thinking that WhatsApp or Facebook will soon be able to see what users share with their family and friends. There were also memes floating around in which people believed that everything and anything said on WhatsApp was visible to company workers, which was false.
source: dnaindia.com
Since then, WhatsApp has been on the defensive, attempting to communicate what changes and what does not for messaging app users in India. The messaging app used the famous Status function, as well as other Facebook assets such as Instagram, to highlight improvements in the new privacy policy. The company has also postponed the launch of its latest terms and privacy policies until May 15.
For those who are unaware, Ravi Shankar Prasad, India’s Law & Justice, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Minister, revealed in February that the country has over 53 crore WhatsApp users. This means that WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in India, with YouTube being the closest competitor with 44.8 crore users. With its vast user base, it would have always been difficult for WhatsApp to make a major change like the one we’re addressing here.
One of Facebook’s biggest errors, in our opinion, was released the latest update as an in-app warning, which should have been conveyed and clarified to users first. After all, it’s the duty of Facebook and WhatsApp to clarify these notifications clearly.
What’s New In New Policy!
source: financialexpress.com
Facebook is improving its e-commerce capabilities with the latest terms and privacy policies. WhatsApp hopes users will be able to connect to more companies on the platform to get stuff done, which can be easier than phone or email contact. “You can contact businesses to get details, ask questions, and purchase products.” “It is entirely up to you if you chat with a business on WhatsApp, and you can block or erase them from your contact list,” the firm claims.
The company also clarified how it collects, shares, and uses data. “According to the company, “the updates to our Privacy Policy provide you with more clarification about how we handle your data.”Some parts of our Privacy Policy have been revised, although others have been added.
We’ve also streamlined the layout of the Privacy Policy to make it easier to use for users.”
What Will Remain Same After May 15?
The latest update means little to existing WhatsApp users. End-to-end encryption is used for chats and phone calls, ensuring that the personal conversation remains private. Also you can get more information at Live Enhanced.
