EC to WhatsApp: Clean Up Consumer Protection, Privacy
WhatsApp must clarify 2021 changes to its privacy policy and terms of service to ensure they comply with EU consumer protection law, the European Commission said Thursday. After an alert by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), the EC and EU…
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Consumer Protection Cooperation Network of regulatory authorities notified the company it must explain how it complies with the law. Officials questioned whether consumers are given sufficiently clear information on their decision to accept or reject the new terms of service; whether WhatApp's in-app notifications prompting consumers to accept the terms and policy are fair; and whether consumers have an adequate chance to learn about the new terms before accepting them. They're concerned about exchange of users' personal data between WhatsApp and third parties or other Facebook/Meta companies. The platform has until Feb. 28 to explain how it will address the issues. WhatsApp "bombarded users for months with persistent pop-up messages" and was "deliberately vague" about what they were being pushed to accept, said BEUC Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl. WhatsApp looks forward to explaining to the EC how it protects users' privacy in compliance with EU law, said a spokesperson. He noted that, at the direction of the Irish Data Protection Commission, the company reorganized and added more detail to its European region privacy policy in November, several months after BEUC's July action.