WhatsApp will delete your account if you don't agree with new terms

WhatsApp said it will go ahead with its controversial privacy policy update

WhatsApp will delete users' account by May 15 2021 if they don’t accept the company’s new terms of service which require users to agree to let owner Facebook and its subsidiaries collect data, including their phone number and location.

WhatsApp will go ahead with its controversial privacy policy update, but will allow users to read it at “their own pace” and will also display a banner providing additional information.

Take it or leave it: WhatsApp will now share your data with Facebook

WhatsApp initially set a deadline of February 8, 2021, however, the date was extended after receiving backlash from users and privacy activists who questioned the company’s “accept our data grab or get out” move on Twitter.

First this goes to show how much Facebook values their users' data over their users.

"Accept our data grab or get out" is pretty far from what consent should look like under laws like GDPR 2/9

— Privacy International (@privacyint) January 7, 2021

 

So what will happen to WhatsApp accounts that don’t agree to the new terms of service? According to information available on the company’s help center, the Facebook-owned messaging service won’t instantly delete your account.

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Users will not have full functionality of the app until they accept the terms of service. For a short time, users will be able to receive calls and notifications, but won't be able to read or send messages from the app.

Further, the company said that the inactive user policy will be applied to users who don’t agree to the terms of service, which means that their account will automatically be deleted after 120 days of inactivity.

Users will have till May 15th to export their chat history on Android or iPhone and download a report of their account.