As most of you know, starting this year, WhatsApp introduced and asked its users to accept its new Privacy Policy which in turn shares some of the user’s data to the companies associated with Facebook for targeted advertising.
As soon as users came to know about the same, WhatsApp faced a huge backslash and several users started boycotting the app.
Facing the huge backslash, the company then reveals some description about the data it will share to Facebook and the companies associated with it.
WhatsApp said, after accepting its new privacy policy, none of the user’s personal data will be shared to the advertisers. Only the content shared to any WhatsApp business account will be shared to Facebook and its associated companies for targeted advertising. The WhatsApp users personal data will remain end-to-end encrypted and not even WhatsApp will be able to see it.
Read also: WhatsApp to limit account functionalities if not accepting the new Privacy Policy
Even though WhatsApp shared some transparency about its new privacy policy, the company still has not revealed the exact data it will share to the advertisers and to whom it will share the data.
Experts believe with this new privacy policy, WhatsApp may share the user’s phone number, transaction data, mobile device information, and IP address to its advertisers.
Looking at all this, the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology has reportedly asked WhatsApp to roll back its new privacy policy and provide a satisfactory answer to the ministry in seven days otherwise the company may face a legal action regarding the same.
Do note that, this is not the first time Meity has asked WhatsApp to revoke its new privacy policy but the company hasn’t expected the same till now claiming that most of the Indian Tech companies like Zomato, Ola, and Swiggy have similar privacy policies.
India is the biggest market of WhatsApp having 450 million users. The Indian Government has asked WhatsApp, Why is it enforcing India to accept such a privacy policy but have exempted the European Union from it?