WhatsApp has reiterated that users who have not accepted its new privacy policy by its May 15 deadline will not immediately lose access to the app or its features, it has been reported. The platform rolled out a new privacy policy along with new terms and conditions in early January with the intention of improving its functionality when users message businesses. However, a combination of users having been unfamiliar with the previous policies and the changes being poorly communicated led to a significant backlash.
The changes outlined by WhatsApp led many to believe that phone numbers, transaction data, service-related information, mobile device information, IP addresses and, most significantly, information about how users interact with others would automatically be shared with Facebook. WhatsApp was moved to delay the changes as it sought to reassure users and explain that this wasn't the case. It reiterated that information like contacts, communication logs, locations, and, critically, messages remain private and outlined how it intended to share some data between platforms to improve communication with businesses on Facebook. An initial February 8 deadline for users to agree to the new policy was pushed back to May 15 to give them time to digest and understand the update.
With that in mind, WhatsApp explained that users who had not accepted the policy would at first receive repeated requests to do so before parts of the app's functionality would stop working, it would then not be possible to use the app at all, and finally, after a period of no use, accounts would be deleted. Reports in The Next Web and XDA Developers now indicate that WhatsApp has reiterated these intentions but noted that the process will be gradual with numerous reminders provided.
What Has WhatsApp Said & What Does It Mean For Users?
A WhatsApp statement reportedly reads: "While the majority of users who have received the new terms of service have accepted them, we appreciate some people haven’t had the chance to do so yet. No accounts will be deleted on May 15 because of this update and no one will lose the functionality of WhatsApp either. We will follow up with reminders to people over the next several weeks."
While it shouldn't have been expected that accounts would be deleted on May 15, WhatsApp is perhaps ensuring it is as clear as possible in its communications on this matter. That accounts will not lose any functionality is good news for any users who have not accepted the new policy for whatever reason. The changes are far less onerous than was initially thought, though, so WhatsApp users can be reassured on that front when the inevitable reminders to accept come.
The matter will come back to a head after those "several weeks" referenced, with users needing to accept the changes or face not being able to use the service. After all, WhatsApp can't have a segment of users simply not accepting its terms indefinitely, so there'll have to be a cut-off at some point.
Source: The Next Web, XDA Developers