WhatsApp wants to show your credentials. The instant messaging app has made a commitment with the European Union to greater transparency in updates to its terms of use, the European Commission announced Monday. It also confirmed that it does not share the personal data of its users for advertising purposes.
A dialogue procedure had been initiated between the authorities of the European Union and this subsidiary of Meta (the new name of the Facebook parent company), following a complaint from the European Office of Consumer Unions (Beuc) in 2021 against the controversial change to its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
And to continue: “The company will make it easier for users to reject updates in case of disagreement, and will give clear explanations when said rejection no longer allows the user to use WhatsApp services,” continues the Commission, adding that the app “will refrain from to send recurring notifications”.
Do not share personal data, WhatsApp promises
WhatsApp “also confirmed that users’ personal data was not shared with third parties or with other companies in the Meta group, including Facebook, for advertising purposes,” according to the same source.
“Consumers have the right to understand what they are agreeing to and what that choice really entails, so they can decide if they want to continue using the platform,” he added.
Already sanctioned several times in Europe
Consulted by AFP, a WhatsApp spokeswoman declined to comment on the matter.
WhatsApp was fined €225 million in September 2021 by the Irish regulator for breaching its transparency obligations, particularly regarding data transfers to other group subsidiaries.
In January, the American company was again fined 5.5 million euros for violating the European data regulation (GDPR).
Source: BFM TV
