The popular chatting app Whatsapp has become a part of people’s lives in no time. However, ever since it announced its new privacy policy, there has been quite a lot of speculation and conjecture around how Whatsapp will have access to people’s chats and interactions through the app. After extending the deadline from February 8, 2021, to May 15, 2021, the questions in people’s minds have been resonating. This article attempts to unravel all those queries which surround this hot topic.
- Will Whatsapp have access to my chat?
As per the new privacy policy, the chats would be end-to-end-encrypted and no one will have access to your chat or be able to read them. However, the business accounts of Whatsapp are likely not to have this facility.
2. What will happen if I do not accept the new terms and conditions?
Earlier, Whatsapp had announced that the users who do not accept the new terms would lose their accounts as Whatsapp will delete them. However, Whatsapp will reduce this access to your account by reducing the functions available to you and eventually reduced your access over time.
3. What information will Whatsapp collect and store?
Whatsapp has mentioned in its new policy that it will collect hardware data like, operating system, the signal of your phone and its strength, phone’s battery level, your phone number and IP address. In addition, it will also store details about your location, the time zone in which you are, your browser information.
4. What will Whatsapp do with my information?
Whatsapp has declared that it will be sharing the data that is collected and stored with Facebook.
More or less, Whatsapp requires people to agree with its terms as there is no disagree option in the popup message that appears on people’s screens frequently. However, business accounts need to be more vigilant and careful about the content they share as that is likely to be in the limelight after May 15. Social media has already been sharing user data, so Whatsapp is more or less joining the herd now. Experts also suggest that the ad-free utopian world of Whatsapp may not exist in the future, and ads may find their place in the coming time. So whatever has to be done has to be decided soon.
