After privacy policy fiasco, WhatsApp to now offer more information update via `banner`

Notably, Instant messaging app WhatsApp has asked users to either give their consent to sharing data with Facebook or lose their accounts after February 8. The policy was, however, put on hold till May 15 due to a massive backlash by the users.

New Delhi: Instant messaging app WhatsApp that had faced a lot of flak over its privacy policy and terms of use update, has now said that it will display a banner on the app providing users with more information on the privacy policy.

WhatsApp said that in the coming weeks, it will display a banner in WhatsApp providing more information that people can read at their own pace. 

WhatsApp in its recent blog wrote, "Today we’re sharing updated plans for how we’ll ask WhatsApp users to review our terms of service and privacy policy. We previously encountered a great deal of misinformation about this update and we continue to work hard to clear up any confusion."

Notably, WhatsApp has asked users to either give their consent to sharing data with Facebook or lose their accounts after February 8. The policy was, however, put on hold till May 15 due to a massive backlash by the users.

WhatsApp wrote that it has reflected on what it could have done better here. 

"We want everyone to know our history of defending end-to-end encryption and trust we’re committed to protecting people’s privacy and security. We’re now using our Status feature to share our values and updates directly within WhatsApp. We’ll be doing much more to make our voice clear going forward," it wrote.

"We’ve also included more information to try and address concerns we’re hearing. Eventually, we’ll start reminding people to review and accept these updates to keep using WhatsApp," it added.

As a reminder, we’re building new ways to chat or shop with a business on WhatsApp that are entirely optional. Personal messages will always be end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp can’t read or listen to them, WhatsApp said.