WhatsApp update: After a backlash from its users over the revised privacy policy, WhatsApp deferred the update to May 15. That gives its billion-plus users time to accept the conditions of the new terms. The Facebook-owned company has said only those who accept the platform’s revised terms can continue on it.
Last week, Facebook-owned WhatsApp made it clear that it will go ahead with its new privacy policy update. But at the same time, the company will allow users to read it at “their own pace” and also display a banner providing additional information. The banner will appear as an in-app notification in WhatsApp. The company had last month delayed enforcing the new policy by three months and has been explaining its terms to users ever since. However, there has been no clear explanation of what happens to the account of users who do not accept the terms by May 15 (the new deadline set by the company).
Now in an email to one of its merchant partners, reportedly reviewed by TechCrunch, WhatsApp has said that it will “slowly ask” such users to comply with the new terms “in order to have full functionality of WhatsApp.” Tech Crunch claims that the company confirmed that the note “accurately characterizes its plan.” The note is also linked to a newly-created WhatsApp FAQ page. Here are the details:
WhatsApp will not delete your account immediately but restrict access
“To give you enough time to review changes at your own pace and convenience, we’ve extended the effective date to May 15th. If you haven’t accepted by then, WhatsApp will not delete your account. However, you won’t have full functionality of WhatsApp until you accept,” says the company on its FAQ page.
WhatsApp users who do not accept its updated terms and conditions by the 15 May deadline will be unable to receive or send messages until they do so.
Their account will be listed as “inactive”. And inactive accounts can be deleted after 120 days. Users will be able to receive calls and notifications, but they won’t be able to send and read messages on the app. They will be able to export chat history from Android and Apple devices and can download their account history.
.Once the account is deleted, users cannot get it back
As per WhatsApp, the account deletion will be permanent and something that will not be reversed. “It is something we cannot reverse…,” says the company.
Users message history will be erased
The entire message history of users will be erased permanently.
Users will be removed from all WhatsApp groups
The users who don’t accept the policy will be automatically removed from all WhatsApp groups they are part of.
The entire WhatsApp backup will be deleted
Users will lose their entire WhatsApp backup. The company is, however, giving users the option to take the backup of their account before May 15.
Users can export their chat history before May 15
“Before May 15th, you can export your chat history on Android or iPhone, and download a report of your account,” says the company.
Policy related to inactive users will apply after May 15
“You can still accept the updates after May 15th. Our policy related to inactive users will apply,” says WhatsApp. As per the inactive users’ policy, “Content stored locally on a user’s device prior to account deletion will remain until WhatsApp is deleted from the device. When a user reregisters for WhatsApp on the same device, their locally stored content will reappear.”
