With almost a month left for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to come into effect in Europe, messaging service provider WhatsApp has updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
WhatsApp shared the updates in a blog post and said, “We are not asking for new rights to collect personal information with this update. Our goal is simply to explain how we use and protect the limited information we have about you.” However, the Facebook-owned company has confirmed that is it is not going to share account information with embattled social media network.
The company said, “We are not currently sharing account information to improve your product and ads experience on Facebook. As we have said in the past, we want to work closely with other Facebook companies in the future and we will keep you updated as we develop our plans”.
While highlighting that the platform was not asking for new rights, to collect personal information with the update, Whatsapp said, "Our goal is simply to explain how we use and protect the limited information we have about you. There are a few things we want to highlight:
- WhatsApp in Europe: WhatsApp has established an entity within the European Union to provide your services there and to meet the new high standards of transparency for how we protect the privacy of our users.
- Data sharing: We are not currently sharing account information to improve your product and ads experience on Facebook. As we have said in the past, we want to work closer with other Facebook companies in the future and we will keep you updated as we develop our plans.
- Staying safe on WhatsApp: When we receive reports of a bad actor sending unwanted messages - like SPAM or abusive content - on either WhatsApp or Facebook, we share information and can take action including blocking them across both services. You can learn more about how to stay safe on WhatsApp by reviewing these safety tips.
However, there are two significant changes to be noted. The minimum age for signing up for the service in the European Union has been increased to 16 years, from 13 years. Further, users will also be able to download what data they share with WhatsApp. This feature will be applicable to all WhatsApp users in the next few weeks. A web page with tips on how to stay safe on WhatsApp will also be created.
GDPR will come into effect in Europe on May 25.
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