12/01/2021

By Leonardo Neri

In recent days, WhatsApp users have been surprised by the appearance of a notice about updates to the app's privacy policy and terms of use. With the appearance of the message, the user is unable to use the app until they make their choice between the only two options: accept or reject the terms.

Among the changes imposed, users were drawn to the mandatory sharing of data with Facebook, the owner of WhatsApp, as a condition for using the platform. In other words, if the user chooses to reject these terms, they will be prevented from using the application and will have to deactivate their account and delete the application.

According to Facebook, the changes announced by the platform will come into effect from February 8, 2021.

In addition to sharing data with Facebook, the new policy also provides for sharing with other platforms in the group, such as Instagram and Messenger. Information such as cell phone number, device model, profile picture, contacts, IP number and payment information and financial transactions carried out via WhatsApp will be shared, with the exception that messages exchanged on WhatsApp will not be shared, as they remain encrypted.

According to the platform, the sharing aims to “provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and advertise our services”.

The obligation to share will not be imposed on users in the European Union and the United Kingdom, since negotiations have already been held with local organizations regarding the protection of personal data, due to data protection legislation already applied in Europe, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which served as inspiration for the General Data Protection Law (LGPD), in force since September 2020 in Brazil.