WhatsApp has confirmed that the company is delaying its new privacy policy rollout, which was earlier slated to go into effect on 8th February. The decision from the Facebook-owned platform comes after users started ditching the platform.
The company says that it decided to postpone the new privacy policy implementation because of “mass confusion” and “misinformation.” Now, instead of 8th February, users have time till May to understand and accept the new terms.
Making this announcement, the instant messaging service provider 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. We’ll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15.”
In the updated privacy policy, the company revealed its ability to share more user data with Facebook and its network of companies, including details like account registration information, phone numbers, transaction data, service-related information, interactions on the platform, mobile device information, IP address, and other data that the company or platform may have collected from the user.
Although the company is now trying to pacify its users, the damage is already done. In just a few days following the new privacy policy announcement, millions of users migrated to other platforms, benefitting apps like Signal and Telegram, among others.
