WhatsApp’s highly controversial new privacy policy may ultimately be optional, as revealed in the latest report from WABetaInfo, which spotted this change on a beta version of the app.
Earlier this year, WhatsApp announced plans to update its terms of service and privacy policy, which would require users to share their data with Facebook when a user posts a message to a WhatsApp Business account. Until now, users had the choice of accepting the terms within the mentioned time frame or losing access to the app itself. This created chaos on the internet and WhatsApp users have started to turn to apps like Telegram and Signal for better confidentiality.
However, as the backlash continued, WhatsApp was forced to revise this change, the company finally confirming later that it had decided not to delete or limit the accounts. Some regulators like the one in Hamburg have even stepped up to the plate by questioning this new policy for violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), implemented in 2018.
WhatsApp backtracks on its privacy policy
According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will no longer make it mandatory for users to accept its policies in order to use the app. Indeed, WABetaInfo spotted in a beta version of the application that most users could now continue to use WhatsApp without accepting its new policies.
However, users who want to interact with business accounts using WhatsApp Business messaging they will be invited to review and accept the new conditions. WhatsApp has therefore taken a step back for its users who only want to chat with their families and friends, since they will be able to choose to ignore the conditions and continue to use messaging without any restrictions.
WABetaInfo also said that WhatsApp plans to announce this new change in terms of service “very soon” and that a future version of the app will support this change. Facebook messaging will only ask users who want to chat with businesses to agree to its new privacy policy. It will surely take a few days or weeks before WhatsApp officially confirms the optional nature of its privacy policy.
Source: WABetaInfo