WhatsApp was going to implement a new privacy policy next month that would have mandated data sharing with Facebook, and there was no way to opt-out of it. Apparently, this caused a massive user backlash, with many users shifting to alternative apps such as Telegram and Signal. Not just that, there was also an antitrust investigation on the horizon. WhatsApp even took an extra step and clarified the situation to talk about how everything is still going to be private for the users, but it seems like it was too late.
Despite the clarification provided, WhatsApp is now being forced to go back on the imminent change. Users will now get extra three months till May to review and adapt to the new terms of service if they choose to do so. The company will also try and reduce the concerns to clear the air of any misinformation that has surrounded the company's stance on data privacy.
WhatsApp Privacy Policy Will No Longer Take Place in February
If you wonder about the changes, they are still taking place, and WhatsApp is still defending the new stance, which is what the official statement has to say.
With these updates, none of that is changing. Instead, the update includes new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data. While not everyone shops with a business on WhatsApp today, we think that more people will choose to do so in the future and it's important people are aware of these services. This update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook.
While all of that is happening, the controversy surrounding the privacy fiasco has driven the flock towards using other apps such as Signal or Telegram, with Telegram seeing over 500 million daily active users.
With WhatsApp now giving users more time to read through the privacy policy and make up their mind, do you think this will change anything, or are you going to keep using the alternatives?
