Since 5 January, 2021, users on the messaging platform WhatsApp have been receiving in-app notifications about the company’s updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. As per the notification, one will not be able to send or receive messages after 8 February, until the updated terms and conditions are accepted.
One of the most widely used messaging platforms in the country, WhatsApp’s latest update left several users unsure about their privacy, especially in terms of what personal data may now be shared with the app’s parent company Facebook. Other questions include possible compromise of financial transactions data, security around personal chats, and doubts about the app’s end-to-end encryption guarantee. Many have even recommended moving to other platforms in a bid to keep their messages secure.
While WhatsApp has clarified the terms of the update on its blog and via Twitter – reiterating that the new terms will have no impact on private messaging or individual data – we also reached out to independent experts to understand its implication for a general, individual user. Joining us to bust some myths are Kazim Rizvi, lawyer, public-policy policy entrepreneur and founder of policy think tank, The Dialogue and Kanishk Gaur, founder – India Future Foundation, and social entrepreneur specializing in areas of cybersecurity, innovation, and change management.
So, can Facebook read your WhatsApp chats? Watch this video to find out
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