Mobile messaging service provider WhatsApp said on Friday that its users will not lose functionality on May 15 if they do not agree to their contentious new privacy policy, confirming that it had pushed back its deadline for a roll-out that initially was meant to leave people with no option but to agree with the policy if they wanted to keep using the app.
The statement came as reports indicated that the company could gradually put some functionality out of users’ reach, before eventually leaving users with no choice but to delete the app.
“WhatsApp continues to provide an important way for friends and family to stay in touch during this difficult time. While the majority of users have already approved our update, no one will lose functionality on May 15 if they haven’t yet and we’ll be sure to provide reminders at a later time,” a company spokesperson said.
“We want everyone to know that this update does not impact the privacy of personal messages,” the statement added.
However, WhatsApp while announcing its privacy policy had said that the users need to accept the new privacy policy to continue using the app.
If users do not accept the policy despite persistent reminders, the screen asking users to accept the policy, that occasionally pops up will appear permanently on your display whenever you open the messaging app. The only way to bypass the screen would be to accept the policy in order to access the chat list or send messages to your accounts.
WhatsApp’s new privacy policy update
Earlier this year, users received a notification regarding the policy update. This update revealed how WhatsApp processes user data, how businesses can use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats and how the company partners with Facebook to offer integrations across the Facebook Company Product.
On WhatsApp’s website, to reveal the specific of how it processes user data, the company says, “when a user forwards media within a message, we store that media temporarily in encrypted form on our servers to aid in the more efficient delivery of additional forwards.” In the terms update, WhatsApp maintains. “We do not retain your messages in the ordinary course of providing our Services to you. Instead, your messages are stored on your device and not typically stored on our servers. Once your messages are delivered, they are deleted from our servers.”
WhatsApp also says, “if any of your contacts aren’t yet using our Services, we’ll manage this information for you in a way that ensures those contacts cannot be identified by us”.
In the update, WhatsApp also talks about payments and transactions. It says, “If you use our payments services, or use our Services meant for purchases or other financial transactions, we process additional information about you, including payment account and transaction information. Payment account and transaction information include information needed to complete the transaction. If you use our payments services available in your country or territory, our privacy practices are described in the applicable payments privacy policy.”
How to accept WhatsApp privacy policy?
Users will get the policy pop-up on the app home screen. To accept the new privacy policy, users will just need to tap on ‘Agree’ option that appears on the screen when they log into the app. “By tapping AGREE, you accept the new terms and privacy policy,” WhatsApp shows this banner on the screen.
That’s the only way you get to accept the newly update ToS, there’s no other option or anything available for now. If you do not see the pop-up, chances are you have already accepted the new WhatsApp privacy policy. There’s also no way to check the policy updates and information on the app anywhere.