- WhatsApp is again asking users to sign its new privacy policy by May 15.
- Users who miss the deadline will not be able to send text messages or make calls, according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
- WhatsApp tried to get users to sign the new policy in January, but it caused a privacy scare.
- Visit the Business section of the Insider for more stories.
WhatsApp is trying once again to get its users to sign its new privacy policy, this time without causing fear of privacy.
WhatsApp announced on Thursday that it will ask users to slowly consent to its new privacy policy, which in January caused a privacy scare and made users migrate to rival messaging apps Signal and Telegram.
Users have until May 15 to sign the new privacy policy. TechCrunch said that if they lose, some essential parts of the WhatsApp app will become unusable.
In an email to one of its business partners and obtained by TechCrunch, WhatsApp said that if users do not agree to the new terms and conditions by May 15: “For a short time, these users will be able to receive calls and notifications , but will not be able to read or send messages from the app. ”
WhatsApp confirmed that this was the case and directed Insider to a FAQ page detailing the process.
According to TechCrunch, this “short time” will last for a few weeks. It is not entirely clear what will happen to users after that time, but the FAQ page states that the WhatsApp policy for “inactive users” will apply after May 15.
WhatsApp’s policy for inactive accounts is that they are “generally deleted after 120 days of inactivity”.
This time, WhatsApp is taking a more delicate approach to asking users to sign its new policy, which materially affects only the data from messages sent to business accounts.
The messaging app will explain the update via an in-app banner, which will take users to a full explanation of the changes. This is the opposite of the January pop-up notification, which appeared to offer users an ultimatum to comply with the new policy or lose access to the application.
Its original deadline was February 8, but it was extended until May 15, after users reacted.