WhatsApp privacy policy update postponed to May 15, accounts will be "closed" if they are idle for 120 days

Remember that after WhatsApp announced its new privacy policy on January 7 , a vigorous "migration" of communication software began.

The change at the time was interpreted by many users as meaning that the platform would share its messages with parent company Facebook, and downloads of two alternative communication apps, Signal and Telegram, surged, while WhatsApp downloads plummeted.

After a large number of users "unfollowed and turned against" WhatsApp, it had to clarify to the public many times that the privacy policy would not infringe on users' personal privacy, WhatsApp would not share users' private message data with Facebook, its commitment to user privacy protection would not change, and users' private conversation information would still be protected by end-to-end encryption.

WhatsApp said the change was not intended to share users’ personal data, but was driven by the company’s desire to develop an e-commerce business . Facebook hopes to better monetize the platform by publishing personalized ads , just as it has done with Facebook Messenger and Instagram in recent years .

To give users more time to understand and adapt to WhatsApp’s latest privacy policy, WhatsApp decided to postpone the deadline for the update from February 8 to May 15 , allowing users to read the policy “at their own pace.”

A WhatsApp spokesperson said in an interview: "Due to the incorrect information provided, based on user feedback, we have postponed the timeline for acceptance of the WhatsApp Terms of Service and Privacy Policy to May 15. In the meantime, we will continue to engage with the government and appreciate the opportunity to respond to the government's questions."

In addition, WhatsApp provides direct and detailed prompts on the chat page within the app ↓

And added a new banner, users can click on the banner to review the privacy policy ↓

However, if users still do not accept these privacy terms by the deadline, they will not be able to access WhatsApp chats or groups, and will only be able to receive call and message notifications but will not be able to read and send messages.

And WhatsApp's policy on inactive users will also apply to these accounts, which are "generally deleted after 120 days of inactivity," where "inactivity means that the user has not been connected to WhatsApp."

WhatsApp

Privacy Policy Updates