WhatsApp to give option to review policy updates amid controversy

Following the backlash it received for the update to its privacy policy in early January, WhatsApp will now let users take a better look at the changes that have been proposed, and reinforce that it does not change personal communication between people. 

“In the coming weeks, we’ll display a banner in WhatsApp providing more information that people can read at their own pace. We’ve also included more information to try and address concerns we’re hearing. Eventually, we’ll start reminding people to review and accept these updates to keep using WhatsApp,” the messaging platform said in a blog post. 

The update was worded in a way that led users to believe their information was unsafe and not end-to-end encrypted, causing an exodus of users. WhatsApp extended the deadline for the privacy policy update to May 15, from Feb 8. 

WhatsApp has clarified that the update only impacts the way users interact with WhatsApp business accounts. 

“We also think it’s important that people know how we can provide WhatsApp for free,” the company said in the post. 

“Every day, millions of people start a WhatsApp chat with a business because it’s easier to do so than placing a phone call or exchanging emails. We charge businesses to provide customer service on WhatsApp — not people. Some shopping features involve Facebook so that businesses can manage their inventory across apps. We display more information directly in WhatsApp so people can choose if they want to engage with businesses, or not,” it added. The Facebook-owned app is providing this deeper look at its privacy policy following some of the feedback it got for the way the update was communicated to users. 

WhatsApp said it cannot read or listen to personal conversations as they’re end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp does not keep logs of who everyone is messaging and that it does not share contact lists with Facebook. "This is our global approach to protecting people’s most private information and that’s not changing,” the company said. 

Since January, WhatsApp built a way to communicate these points directly in the app through its Status feature, accessible to its over two billion user base.

Several users chose to opt out of WhatsApp in the days following the update and moved to apps like Signal or Telegram, both of which took a dig at WhatsApp's privacy policy on platforms like Twitter.