Category: Data Protection

WhatsApp’s privacy policy update halted

22. January 2021

Already at the beginning of December 2020, first indications came up signaling that WhatsApp will change its terms of service and privacy policy. Earlier this year, users received the update notice when launching the app on their device. It stated that the new terms concern additional information on how WhatsApp processes user data and how businesses can use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats. The terms should be accepted by February 8th, 2021, to continue using the chat service. Otherwise, the deletion of the account was suggested, because it will not be possible to use WhatsApp without accepting the changes. The notice has caused all sorts of confusion and criticism, because it has mistakenly made many users believe that the agreement allows WhatsApp to share all collected user data with company parent Facebook, which had faced repeated privacy controversies in the past.

Users’ fears in this regard are not entirely unfounded. As a matter of fact, outside the EU, WhatsApp user data has already been flowing to Facebook since 2016 – for advertising purposes, among other things. Though, for the EU and the United Kingdom, other guidelines apply without any data transfer.

The negative coverage and user reactions caused WhatsApp to hastily note that the changes explicitly do not affect EU users. Niamh Sweeney, director of policy at WhatsApp, said via Twitter that it remained the case that WhatsApp did not share European user data with Facebook for the purpose of using this data to improve Facebook’s products or ads.

However, since the topic continues to stir the emotions, WhatsApp felt compelled to provide clarification with a tweet and a FAQ. The statements make it clear once again that the changes are related to optional business features and provide further transparency about how the company collects and uses data. The end-to-end encryption, with which chat content is only visible to the participating users, will not be changed. Moreover, the new update does not expand WhatsApp’s ability to share data with Facebook.

Nevertheless, despite all efforts, WhatsApp has not managed to explain the changes in an understandable way. It has even had to accept huge user churn in recent days. The interest in messenger alternatives has increased enormously. Eventually, the public backlash led to an official announcement that the controversial considered update will be delayed until May 15th, 2021. Due to misinformation and concern, users shall be given more time to review the policy on their own in order to understand WhatsApp’s privacy and security principles.

Apple launched higher data protection standard

13. January 2021

Already announced in Apples Worldwide Developers Conference last June a new privacy feature for Apple’s App Store has now been launched with iOs 14.3 (we reported). Originally iOs 14 should have had these update, but based on critic of app developers and big tech giants the launch has been postponed to give the concerned persons and companies more time to be prepared for the changes.

The update requires the App providers to answer several questions regarding data privacy. The requirement to answer the questions only apply in case an app is uploaded to the App Store for the first time or in case an update is published by the App provider. So at this point, not many apps come up with this additional information. However, Apple’s own apps and for example the Facebook Messenger have already been updated regarding this information.

The process is as follows: In the course of uploading an app or update the provider must answer questions regarding inter alia which categories of personal data are collected by the app or third parties within the app, if the data is used to track the user and with which data sources and other data the obtained data is linked. The inserted information is afterwards displayed in the App Store below the rating of the app.

According to Apple, the goal is that the information in the App Store should make it easier for the user to know what the privacy status of an app is. However, it should be noted that the information is based solely on the (voluntary) information provided by the provider and is not verified by Apple.

Category: Data Protection
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