Take it or leave it: WhatsApp will now share your data with Facebook
PHOTO: REUTERS
WhatsApp will now share personal data of users including phone numbers and locations with its parent company, Facebook, it announced after updating terms of service.
Previously, the popular messaging app was touted as an encrypted platform, which meant that its two billion users around the world had strong user privacy.
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However, starting from February 8th the company will be collecting and sharing user data including location data, IP addresses, phone model, OS, battery level, signal strength, browser, mobile network, ISP, language, time zone, and even IMEI.
In addition, WhatsApp will also be collecting information related to any business interactions made using its platform.
“Some businesses might be working with third-party service providers (which may include Facebook) to help manage their communications with their customers,” the company said.
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If you don’t agree with the new terms and conditions you can simply delete your account however, be mindful that if you only delete WhatsApp from your device without using the in-app ‘delete my account feature’, your information will be stored with us for a longer period.
The new Privacy Policy does not affect users located in 27 European Union thanks to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The regulation is designed to protect the privacy rights of EU individuals but applies to all companies processing or controlling the personal information of EU residents, regardless of where those firms are located.