WhatsApp postpones new privacy update plan after row; says 'working to counter confusion'

Under fire over its recent privacy policy update, Facebook-owned messenger app WhatsApp on Friday announced that it has postponed its planned privacy update, which will give users more time to review the policy and accept the terms of the app. The decision to postpone the privacy update has been taken due to "misinformation causing concern" among people, the company said in a blog post.

'We never planned to delete any accounts...'

"We're now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8. We're also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp. We'll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15," the blog post read.

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"We can't see your private messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook," WhatsApp said in an earlier blog post. According to the Facebook-owned app, "We don't keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling. We can't see your shared location and neither can Facebook. Location data along with message contents is encrypted end-to-end."

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Open to answering any queries from govt

Meanwhile, WhatsApp on Thursday said it is open to answering any questions from the Indian government on the issue and is aware that the company will have to "compete" for users' trust with rivals such as Signal. In an interview to PTI, WhatsApp Global Head Will Cathcart said the Facebook-owned company remains committed to privacy and security of users across India and will continue to explain to users that their messages are end-to-end encrypted.

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Rival messaging platforms such as Signal and Telegram saw a phenomenal rise in downloads soon after WhatsApp sought users' consent to its updated privacy policy that seeks to share some data with Facebook. "We know we have to compete for users' trust when it comes to privacy and that's very good for the world. People should have choices in how they communicate and feel confident that no one else can see their chats," Cathcart said.

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(With agency inputs)