WhatsApp has updated its terms and privacy policy which users need to accept by February 8 or consider deleting their accounts.
According to the WhatsApp alert, “After this date, you’ll need to accept these updates to continue using WhatsApp. You can also visit the Help Centre if you would prefer to delete your account and would like more information”.
A bugbear in this new development is the sharing of user data with Facebook, which is really unsurprising considering that the messaging platform was acquired by the social media giant for US$19 billion in 2014.
More than 8,000 words long, the terms and privacy policy is filled with legalese and is likely to fly over the head of most of WhatsApp’s two billion users. Most are likely to just click “Agree” and accept their fate.
Switching messaging platforms can be a pain because it concerns not just the user but the people they interact with. For those who are cheesed off enough to want to delete their accounts, alternative platforms abound with the likes of Signal and Telegram.
Entelechy Asia 