WhatsApp is going through hard times. Ever since its new terms of service and privacy policy was released, WhatsApp struggled to keep its head high amidst the criticism. The new privacy policy had given WhatsApp users an ultimatum, which said that the users had to accept the new terms of service and privacy policy before 8th February or their account would get deleted. Due to the backlash, WhatsApp has now pushed the deadline to 15th May.
What Happened?
A quick reminder for all, WhatsApp’s updated terms of service and privacy policy irked a lot of users because it made data sharing with Facebook mandatory for all. Users did not like the harsh ultimatum that was given to them, and they proceeded to switch to WhatsApp’s rivals, Signal and Telegram.
Signal App became the top free app on the PlayStore, and Telegram hit 500 million users worldwide. Tech entrepreneurs like Elon Musk of Tesla and Vijay Shekhar Sharma of Paytm also encouraged users to move to Signal.
WhatsApp then started to do some damage control, it clarified that the data sharing with Facebook did not include the personal chats of users. It assured users that their privacy would not be breached. Despite all of this, users were still discontent with WhatsApp’s privacy policy.
WhatsApp’s Decision
WhatsApp released a blog post on 15th January, highlighting its decision to delay its plans of updating its privacy policy. The blog post in its entirety explained the company’s decision to take time to think about the policy. It said,
“We’re now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the term.”
WhatsApp’s Twitter account also tweeted about this decision. The tweet read,
“Thank you to everyone who’s reached out. We’re still working to counter any confusion by communicating directly with @WhatsApp users. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on Feb 8 and we’ll be moving back our business plans until after May.”
It looks like WhatsApp has realized it messed up with the new terms of service and privacy policy. With the threat of losing all of its users to Signal and Telegram hanging over the company, WhatsApp has to tread carefully to win back the trust of users once again.
If you've any thoughts on WhatsApp announces its decision to extend the deadline of accepting the new privacy policy to 15th May., then feel free to drop in below comment box. Also, please subscribe to our DigitBin YouTube channel for videos tutorials. Cheers!
