ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the concerns by general public regarding recently announced changes in privacy policy of WhatsApp, following clarifications have been provided by WhatsApp and Facebook:
The updated Privacy Policy will go into effect on February 8, 2021.
The rationale for the changes in the WhatsApp privacy policy is to make it easier for people to both make a purchase and get help from a business directly on WhatsApp.
This update does not impact how people communicate privately with friends or family. WhatsApp is still end-to-end encrypted.
WhatsApp shares certain categories of data – including account registration information (e.g. phone number), how users interact with others (including businesses), and the user’s IP address – with Facebook for purposes such as promoting safety and integrity, fighting spam, improving infrastructure and delivery systems, and providing integrations which enable users to connect their WhatsApp experiences with other Facebook Company Products and personalizing content (including ads and friend suggestions) across the Facebook Company Products. That has been the case since 2016 and has not changed with this update.
WhatsApp is making it easier for people to both make a purchase and get help from a business (using WhatsApp Business API) directly on WhatsApp. This change helps reduce onboarding time for businesses from a matter of weeks or months to a matter of minutes.
Users will be notified within a chat with a business that has chosen to use Facebook or a third-party to manage their WhatsApp messages so they can choose whether to interact with this business.
Once a user starts using WhatsApp to send messages to businesses using WhatsApp for Business App, the shopping data can be shared with merchants and Facebook to improve their services. It doesn’t mean you will see ads on WhatsApp.
This has zero impact on private messages and calls with your friends and family – no one can read them except you and the person you’re communicating with – not even WhatsApp or Facebook.
For the limited categories of data WhatsApp does collect, it takes measures to restrict access to that information. While you may grant WhatsApp access to your contacts to help deliver the messages you send, WhatsApp does not share contact lists with anyone, including Facebook.
Users who have not accepted the new policies by February 8, 2021 will not lose their accounts, but will need to agree to the updates in order to use their account.
To help users in Pakistan, WhatsApp has also developed these FAQs: (https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/security-and-privacy/answering-your-questions-about-whatsapps-privacy-policy?lang=ur) in Urdu, which are now available on WhatsApp website.
This information is provided by WhatsApp and disseminated in good faith as a public service information without any liability whatsoever on the Authority as a result of this information.