You’ll eventually have to accept WhatsApp’s new privacy terms to use the app

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WhatsApp has published a blog post reminding users that they’ll eventually have to accept its controversial privacy update to continue using the messaging service.

The platform has a new plan of asking users to review its terms of service and privacy policy. The Facebook-owned company said it’s now using the Status feature on the app to share its values and updates directly within WhatsApp.

“We previously encountered a great deal of misinformation about this update and we continue to work hard to clear up any confusion,” WhatsApp wrote, addressing the flak it received after it announced updates to its privacy policy in January.

New messaging, same conflicting language

WhatsApp admits that it could have handled things better but at the same time hasn’t addressed any concerns regarding the disliked policy changes. For instance, the platform previously claimed that it can’t see the shared location of its users, and neither can Facebook. However, its privacy policy still states the following:

We collect and use precise location information from your device with your permission when you choose to use location-related features, like when you decide to share your location with your contacts or view locations nearby or locations others have shared with you. There are certain settings relating to location-related information which you can find in your device settings or the in-app settings, such as location sharing. Even if you do not use our location-related features, we use IP addresses and other information like phone number area codes to estimate your general location (e.g., city and country).

That’s just one example of WhatsApp’s conflicting language regarding its privacy terms. The backlash it witnessed for the update had previously caused the firm to delay its rollout.

Now, WhatsApp says that it’ll display a banner in the app in the coming days “providing more information that people can read at their own pace.”

“Eventually, we’ll start reminding people to review and accept these updates to keep using WhatsApp,” the company added.

A message for the WhatsApp quitters

Speaking to users who are switching over to other platforms like Telegram and Signal, WhatsApp wrote the following in its blog post:

We understand some people may check out other apps to see what they have to offer. We’ve seen some of our competitors try to get away with claiming they can’t see people’s messages – if an app doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption by default that means they can read your messages. Other apps say they’re better because they know even less information than WhatsApp. We believe people are looking for apps to be both reliable and safe, even if that requires WhatsApp having some limited data. We strive to be thoughtful on the decisions we make and we’ll continue to develop new ways of meeting these responsibilities with less information, not more.

What do you think of WhatsApp’s latest blog post? Does it convince you to stay back on the platform, or are you still opposed to its new privacy changes? Take our poll and also share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Also read: WhatsApp vs Telegram vs Signal: Which messaging app should you use?