Two weeks ago Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp gave its users an ultimatum: Agree with its new privacy policy by 8 February or delete your account. The new agreement will see the service sharing a bunch of information with Facebook, including phone numbers, contact info, statuses posted to the messaging service, and more besides.
The execution of the privacy policy left a little something to be desired, with the service seeing an exodus of users to messaging platforms Telegram and Signal. Its subsequent attempts at damage control were also a little wide of the mark. So, now, Facebook has opted to delay the rollout of its privacy policy until 15 May this year. Because it has some explaining to do first.
WhatsApp, fellow kids?
Facebook posted an update, saying that the furore around its new privacy policy is all a bit of a misunderstanding that it will clear up in the coming weeks, citing “misinformation” as the reason for its recent woes.
The company said, “We’re now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8.” More detailed explanations of the company’s privacy policy changes will turn up in front of users before 15 May
Delaying the rollout of its privacy policy also delays the new business options, which will share a whole new collection of your data with Facebook. If, that is, various businesses decide to take the data-harvesting company up on its offer of hosting services, which they almost certainly will.
Then, by interacting with a business on WhatsApp (something the service is very keen for you to do), you’ll be handing over all sorts of data to the service itself — including financial information. Basically, data you share with the business in question, if they’ve procured Facebook’s hosting services, could be up for grabs for marketing purposes.