WhatsApp has updated its terms of service and privacy policy and it has caused a lot of controversies particularly for people focused on privacy. The updated policy provides more insight into how the messaging platform will use user data and share it with its parent company Facebook going forward.

 

WhatsApp users have till 8th February 2021 to accept the terms of service and privacy policy to allow them to continue to use the platform. The terms have caused so much uproar that when Elon Musk tweeted “Use Signal” shortly after becoming the world’s richest man, it is believed that he was referring to WhatsApp’s new policy.

 

What’s new?

Nothing.

There’s nothing new about the new WhatsApp terms of service and privacy policy. Software service often update their services from time to time. It’s also a standard practice that the user must accept the new conditions in order to continue using these services. WhatsApp is still end-to-end encrypted. According to the company, this means it can’t see your messages or share them with anyone.

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What’s different?

The new policy suggests an increasing reliance on other Facebook products and it changed the opening line of the privacy policy. “Respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA. Since we started WhatsApp, we’ve aspired to build our Services with a set of strong privacy principles in mind” no longer exist in the statement. that might be less assuring I must admit.

 

The other changes

WhatsApp’s new privacy policy says that when users rely on “third-party services or other Facebook Company Products that are integrated with our Services, those third-party services may receive information about what you or others share with them.”

 

This in effect means that when a user uses third-party services, information like your IP address. Also, you being a WhatsApp user may be provided to the third-party or to another Facebook company product.

 

At the end of the day, nothing has changed. This time though, WhatsApp elaborates on the implications for data sharing when users rely on third-party integrations.

 

WhatsApp also clarifies that when a user uses “third-party services or other Facebook Company Products, their own terms and privacy policies will govern your use of those services and products”. Basically, you are subject to the integrations privacy policies when you use them.

 

WhatsApp also explains in detail the kind of information it will exchange with Facebook and its group of companies. This includes information on “improving infrastructure and delivery systems” and personalised content around purchases and transactions.

 

The messaging service finally explains that the data exchange will help it; improve “relevant offers and ads across the Facebook Company Products.”

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Is WhatsApp collecting new Information?

Errm Yes. WhatsApp says it is collecting new device information like your “battery level, signal strength, app version, browser information, mobile network, connection information (including phone number, mobile operator or ISP), language and time zone, IP address, device operations information, and identifiers (including identifiers unique to Facebook Company Products associated with the same device or account)”. The company did not mention these in the previous policy.

 

Even if a user does not use their location-relation features; WhatsApp will collect “IP addresses and other information like phone number area codes to estimate your general location (city, country)”.

 

What’s really different?

WhatsApp says in the new privacy policy that it uses Facebook’s global infrastructure and data centers. It did not explicitly mention that in the previous policy. It also says that the data in some instances will be transferred to the United States or other parts where Facebook’s affiliate companies are based. WhatsApp says that “these transfers are necessary to provide the global Services set forth in our Terms”.

 

Finally

WhatsApp says that any business that its users interact with may provide it with information as well. It further explains that any content shared with a business will be visible to “several people in that business”. WhatsApp says that some “businesses might be working with third-party service providers (which may include Facebook) to help manage their communications with their customers”.

 

 

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