WhatsApp users who have not accepted the updated terms and conditions by May 15 will be unable to send or receive messages on the app until they do. These accounts will be listed as “inactive”.
Accounts that remain inactive for more than 120 days will be deleted.
Calls and notifications will still be able to come through for a short period, but the length of this period has not been stipulated by WhatsApp. According to TechCrunch, it may be a “few weeks“.
When WhatsApp announced the change in January, there was a widespread backlash from users who felt uncomfortable with sharing their data with the app’s parent company, Facebook. Many switched over to using more encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal.
However, when WhatsApp clarified that there is nothing to be worried about, account users felt more reassured and slowly began moving back to using it as a primary form of contact. The update was aimed at enabling payments to be made to businesses.
Currently, WhatsApp already shares some information including a device’s IP address and purchases made using the social media platform.
In the UK and Europe, however, different privacy laws exist.
ALSO READ: WhatsApp clarifies: ‘We can’t see private messages or keep call logs’
WhatsApp clarifies: ‘We can’t see private messages or keep call logs’
Picture: Pixabay
