Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Digital Rights Monitor
  • DRM Exclusive
    • News
    • Court Updates
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Campaigns
      • #PrivacyHumSabKe
    • Vodcasts
  • In Media
    • News
    • OP-EDs
  • Editorial
  • Gender & Tech
    • SheConnects
  • Trends Monitor
  • Infographics
  • Resources
    • Laws and Policies
    • Research
    • International Frameworks
  • DRM Advocacy
    • Exclusives
    • Featured
    • Publications
    • Statements
No Result
View All Result
Digital Rights Monitor
  • DRM Exclusive
    • News
    • Court Updates
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Campaigns
      • #PrivacyHumSabKe
    • Vodcasts
  • In Media
    • News
    • OP-EDs
  • Editorial
  • Gender & Tech
    • SheConnects
  • Trends Monitor
  • Infographics
  • Resources
    • Laws and Policies
    • Research
    • International Frameworks
  • DRM Advocacy
    • Exclusives
    • Featured
    • Publications
    • Statements
No Result
View All Result
Digital Rights Monitor
No Result
View All Result

in DRM Exclusive, News

WhatsApp Reverses Decision to Limit Functionality Over New Privacy Policy

DRMbyDRM
June 15, 2021
WhatsApp Urges Users to Review and Accept New Terms and Conditions

WhatsApp has announced that users who do not accept its controversial privacy policy before the May 15 deadline will not have their accounts deleted or lose functionality of the app.

The latest announcement, which came at the end of May, is a reversal of a decision by WhatsApp to limit functionality for users who had not accepted the policy. Users were also told that they would get persistent reminders to accept it. The Facebook-owned platform had been heavily urging users to accept the policy, resulting in much backlash and skepticism on why the update was so necessary. 

“Considering the majority of users who have seen the update have accepted, we’ll continue to display a notification in WhatsApp providing more information about the update and reminding those who haven’t had a chance to do so to review and accept. We currently have no plans for these reminders to become persistent and to limit the functionality of the app,” WhatsApp said.

The messaging app also said that when a new user registers for WhatsApp, they will be given the option to accept the update. 

Limited functionality

Before the announcement, WhatsApp had different plans for users who did not accept the policy change before the May 15 deadline. If users did not accept the changes following the persistent reminders, WhatsApp said that they would initially not be able to access their chat lists, but would still be able to answer incoming phone and video calls. 

After a few weeks of limited functionality and constant reminders, people wouldn’t be able to receive incoming calls or notifications and WhatsApp said it would stop sending messages and calls to their phone.

In the latest update to these policies, WhatsApp clarified some of the concerns people have about data-sharing with Facebook. “Your personal conversations are still protected by end-to-end encryption, which means no one outside of your chats, not even WhatsApp or Facebook, can read or listen to them,” it said.

The two main changes WhatsApp said it will make are:

  1. Talking to businesses more conveniently as compared to calls or email. Users would have the choice to block or remove businesses from their contact lists if they do decide to chat with businesses at all. The company said these businesses may use Facebook as a technology provider to manage some of the responses on their behalf. The chats will be clearly labelled to make users aware of when that happens.
  2. Providing more detail on how WhatsApp manages user data. The company said it added more detail to certain sections of its Privacy Policy and added new sections, as well as simplifying the layout to make it easier for users to navigate.

The first update means that businesses using secure hosting services from Facebook to manage WhatsApp chats with their customers may use some user information for its own marketing purposes, which may include advertising on Facebook. Users may also see an ad on Facebook with an option to message a business using WhatsApp. Facebook may use the way people interact with these ads to personalize the ads they see on Facebook.

Tags: FacebookWhatsApp
Previous Post

CNN, NY Times and Other Major Websites Temporarily Down in Massive Internet Outage

Next Post

Tribal Areas to get 3G 4G Service, Schedule Ready, High Court settles case

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
PEMRA Warns TV Channels Against Airing ‘Anti-State’ Content

PEMRA prohibits TV channels from covering F-9 Park rape case

February 7, 2023
PTA lifts ban on Wikipedia

PTA lifts ban on Wikipedia

February 7, 2023
PTA degrades Wikipedia services over ‘sacrilegious content’

Joint statement condemns Wikipedia ban in Pakistan

February 6, 2023
No Content Available

Next Post
Committee formed by PM invites few stakeholders for consultation on Social Media Rules

Tribal Areas to get 3G 4G Service, Schedule Ready, High Court settles case

About Digital Rights Monitor

This website reports on digital rights and internet governance issues in Pakistan and collates related resources and publications. The site is a part of Media Matters for Democracy’s Report Digital Rights initiative that aims to improve reporting on digital rights issues through engagement with media outlets and journalists.

About Media Matters for Democracy

Media Matters for Democracy is a Pakistan based not-for-profit geared towards independent journalism and media and digital rights advocacy. Founded by a group of journalists, MMfD works for innovation in media and journalism through the use of technology, research, and advocacy on media and internet related issues. MMfD works to ensure that expression and information rights and freedoms are protected in Pakistan.

Follow Us on Twitter

No Result
View All Result
  • DRM Exclusive
    • News
    • Court Updates
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Campaigns
      • #PrivacyHumSabKe
    • Vodcasts
  • In Media
    • News
    • OP-EDs
  • Editorial
  • Gender & Tech
    • SheConnects
  • Trends Monitor
  • Infographics
  • Resources
    • Laws and Policies
    • Research
    • International Frameworks
  • DRM Advocacy
    • Exclusives
    • Featured
    • Publications
    • Statements

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist