The latest WhatsApp terms and privacy policy allow the popular messaging app to share a significant amount of user data with Facebook (via XDA Developers)
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WhatsApp users are now receiving an in-app notice informing them of the app’s updated terms of service and privacy policy. The notice gives an overview of the top three updates, covering how WhatsApp processes user data, how companies can use services hosted on Facebook to store and manage their WhatsApp chats, and how WhatsApp will soon partner with Facebook to offer deeper integrations across all of the parent company’s products.
The changes, which are due to take effect on February 8, 2021, are mandatory and users will not be able to continue using WhatsApp unless they accept the terms.
The new terms and privacy policy appear to be based on the changes announced in July 2020, but this previous update offered users the option to prevent their WhatsApp account information from being shared with Facebook. The latest update removes this option.
Users who agree to the updated terms will have their WhatsApp account registration and phone number, transaction data, service-related information, interaction information, mobile device information, IP address and “other information identified … or obtained through notification to you or based on your consent “shared with Facebook.
In explaining how Facebook will use this information, the policy states that shared data is used to “understand how our services or theirs are used”, “improve your services”, “make suggestions for you”, “customize features and content “and” showing relevant offers and ads across all of the company’s products on Facebook. “
The updated terms help WhatsApp to integrate more closely with the Facebook product family, as it aims to provide a more consistent experience for users across all services. While the changes help Facebook achieve its larger goals, the high level of data sharing that WhatsApp users will now be subject to can raise privacy issues.
Last month, WhatsApp publicly protested Apple’s requirement that developers send information about what user data they collect to privacy labels on the App Store, saying it could give their messaging app a competitive disadvantage.