As a result of a massive data protection fine earlier this year, WhatsApp is changing its privacy policy.
Following an inquiry, the Irish data protection agency slapped WhatsApp with a €225 million (£190 million) punishment — the second-largest in GDPR history – and ordered the company to amend its rules.
WhatsApp is contesting the penalties, but it is updating its policy papers in Europe and the United Kingdom to comply.
It argues, though, that nothing about its real service is changing.
Instead, the changes are intended to “provide more information surrounding our existing processes” and will only be implemented in the European version of the privacy policy, which is already distinct from the version that applies everywhere in the world.
“There are no changes to our operations or contractual arrangements with users, and users will not be asked to agree to anything or take any action to continue using WhatsApp,” the firm said in a statement announcing the move.
The new policy goes into effect right now.
Revolt of the users
WhatsApp customers protested in January about an amendment to the business’s conditions that many thought would result in data being shared with parent firm Facebook, which is now known as Meta.
Many people believed that refusing to accept to the revised terms and conditions would result in the blocking of their accounts.
In actuality, not much had changed. WhatsApp, on the other hand, was obliged to postpone its adjustments and spend months combating public opinion to the opposite.
During the chaos, millions of users downloaded WhatsApp rivals like Signal.
Following a reaction, WhatsApp has launched a privacy campaign.
WhatsApp specifically addressed such concerns in a blog post regarding the new changes mandated by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC).
“This upgrade does not affect how we handle, utilize, or share user data with anybody, including Meta, nor does it affect how we operate our service,” the company stated.
It also stated that “users would not be required to agree to anything new or take any action in order to continue using WhatsApp.”
The firm was also quick to emphasize that its service is and will remain end-to-end encrypted, which means that communications can only be read by the sender and receiver.