The recent introduction of WhatsApp’s new privacy policy and terms and conditions has created an uproar across social media, with many users stating that they are planning to leave the platform and switch over to Signal or Telegram due to privacy concerns.
In its new privacy policy, WhatsApp provided information on the data it collects from users, which includes account information, address book information, status information, transactions and payments data, customer support communications and messages in some circumstances. WhatsApp has listed all the data it collects from users and also what data it shares with its parent company, Facebook.
In a statement, WhatsApp explained:
“Copies of your information may remain after the 90 days in the backup storage that we use to recover in the event of a disaster, software error, or other data loss event. Your information isn’t available to you on WhatsApp during this time. Copies of some materials such as log records may remain in our database but are disassociated from personal identifiers.”
If you are planning to uninstall WhatsApp, here are the steps you can follow:
How to to Delete/ Deactivate Your WhatsApp Account on Android
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the three-dotted icon, which is located on the top right corner.
- Tap on Settings, visit the Account section and then tap on Delete my account option.
- You then will be required to enter your mobile number and tap on Delete My Account.
- You will be asked to select a reason for why you want to delete your account in the dropdown.
- Tap on Delete my account.
How to Delete/ Deactivate Your WhatsApp Account on iOS
- Open WhatsApp on your iOS device and then go to Settings > Account > Delete My Account.
- Enter your phone number and tap on Delete My Account.
What Data Has WhatsApp Collected on Me?
WhatsApp does have an option where users can request a data collected report so that you can see what data has the been collected since you joined the platform.
This process will take at least three days of time or more in some cases to compile. Just make sure you are using the latest version of the messaging app.
Steps to Request a Report on Your WhatsApp Data
- Open WhatsApp and head over to its settings panel.
- Go to the ‘Account’ section and tap on the ‘Request account info’ option.
- Tap again on the ‘Request’ button and your request will then be sent to the company.
Can I Manually Download WhatsApp Chats and Media?
If you just want to export some of the personal chats, you can follow the steps below:
- Open the chat of the individual, and tap on the three-dotted button.
- Tap on More and select Export chat.
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