WhatsApp's clarification on privacy policy fails to convince; netizens poke holes in claim

After receiving several questions from users and in the midst of somewhat of an app-migration, WhatsApp has issued a clarification regarding the ongoing confusion about its new Privacy Policy. The messenger application has said that the changes will not affect consumer accounts as it is only for business accounts. However, the clarification did not go down well with a number of users across the world and they continued to cast aspersions on the privacy policy of the app. Netizens gave their reactions on the app's clarification on Twitter.

WhatsApp's clarification says: "We want to be clear that the policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way. Instead, this update includes changes related to messaging a business on WhatsApp, which is optional, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data."

The updated WhatsApp Terms and Conditions says, "As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp receives information from and shares information with the other Facebook Companies. We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services and their offerings, including the Facebook Company Products." 

However, the messenger application said that the data-sharing practices with Facebook have not changed. It mentions that the changes in the policy will come into effect from next month that is February 8, 2021, and the data sharing will happen between Facebook Business and WhatsApp Business accounts. People who use this medium for instant messaging and not for business purposes will remain unaffected. 

The new WhatsApp Privacy Policy will go into effect from next month and users (iOS and Android) have also started getting notifications. But, if you do not choose to agree with WhatsApp's Terms and Conditions, you will no longer be able to use their services.

READ | WhatsApp Issues Clarification Over New Privacy Policy; Says It's For Business Accounts

Netizens react to WhatsApp's clarification on privacy policy 

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