Changed the words but not the way we operate – WhatsApp

WhatsApp (owned by Facebook/Meta) has changed it’s privacy policy in the EU and UK following a fine by the Irish GDPR watchdog. The fine of £190m is the second largest delivered because of GDPR violations.

The new policy better explains how WhatsApp uses your data, in particular in it’s relationship with Meta.

WhatsApp privacy policy tweaked in Europe after record fine – BBC News

“However, it (WhtasApp) insists that nothing about its actual service is changing.”

This may not seem very important, except for the size of the fine (which of course WhatsApp is appealing) but it is. Big Tech should be made to “speak plainly” about what it proposes to do with our information and meta-data, so we as consumers of their services can make informed decisions as to whether we want to be involved.

I am not against giving up some of my information/privacy but I want to make that choice myself, not walk into it blindly because someone offers me a shiny bauble.

Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles