WhatsApp clarifies privacy policy update, says no effect on privacy of messages

WhatsApp is facing massive criticism after users raised security issues ever since the Facebook-owned messaging app updated its new privacy policy. WhatsApp has now released an official statement clearing all speculations surrounding new terms of service and policies.

Taking to Twitter, the messaging app has said that the policy update does not affect users’ privacy with friends or family. The app also shared a list of things that the company won’t be sharing with Facebook.

We want to address some rumors and be 100% clear we continue to protect your private messages with end-to-end encryption. pic.twitter.com/6qDnzQ98MP

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) January 12, 2021

Addressing the issue of group privacy, the company has said: “We don’t share this data with Facebook for ads. Again, these private chats are end-to-end encrypted so we can’t see their content”.

For users who want additional security, the company has suggested that they can also change message settings to “disappear from chats after you send them”.

The messaging giant has also issued clarification about the rumor that the company store messages of its users. It said, “WhatsApp will not store your text messages and other media files, even on its own servers. They are only stored offline on your own device”.

Furthermore, the app clarified that WhatsApp does not share your contacts with Facebook, location and logs of the messages and calls.