WhatsApp Gets EU Ultimatum After New Terms Spark Backlash (bloomberg.com) 8
Meta Platforms' WhatsApp was given a month to answer European Union concerns over new terms and services that sparked outrage among consumers and privacy campaigners. From a report: WhatsApp must provide "concrete commitments" to address EU concerns about a possible lack of "sufficiently clear information" to users, or the exchange of user data between WhatsApp and third parties, the European Commission said Thursday. "WhatsApp must ensure that users understand what they agree to and how their personal data is used," EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said in a statement. "I expect from WhatsApp to fully comply with EU rules that protect consumers and their privacy."
WhatsApp announced the policy changes a year ago, but was forced to delay their introduction until May after a backlash over what data the messaging service collects and how it shares that information with parent Facebook. European consumer association BEUC complained to the EU, saying the new terms and services were opaque. "WhatsApp bombarded users for months with persistent pop-up messages," BEUC said in reaction to the commission announcement. "WhatsApp has been deliberately vague about this, laying the ground for far-reaching data processing without valid consent from consumers."
WhatsApp announced the policy changes a year ago, but was forced to delay their introduction until May after a backlash over what data the messaging service collects and how it shares that information with parent Facebook. European consumer association BEUC complained to the EU, saying the new terms and services were opaque. "WhatsApp bombarded users for months with persistent pop-up messages," BEUC said in reaction to the commission announcement. "WhatsApp has been deliberately vague about this, laying the ground for far-reaching data processing without valid consent from consumers."
Comply (Score:5, Insightful)
I expect from WhatsApp to fully comply with EU rules that protect consumers and their privacy.
That's naive. I expect them to pretend that they do and just hope they don't get caught.
Re: (Score:2)
Nah. It's not naive. It's lawyer talk, with the "Or we're going to F you in the A with a cactus." implied.
Unfortunately that last part never fully materializes :(
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Nah. It's not naive. It's lawyer talk, with the "Or we're going to F you in the A with a cactus." implied.
Unfortunately that last part never fully materializes :(
They'll just fine them for a few billion.
Re: (Score:2)
They'll just fine them for a few billion.
Which Zuck will never pay. As always with $bigcorp.
I still don't get it... (Score:5, Insightful)
... I'm Spaniard, meaning I'm part of the EU, and sadly the EU "politicians" do love their own voices and talk high and long about "privacy this, privacy that".
Do you know what privacy really means? It means no company WHATSOEVER is allowed in any way, any form, to share PRIVATE DATA of their customers. At most, they should be allowed to share STATISTIC DATA.
Anything apart from that is a direct violation of my privacy for any service, allowed or not by Law.
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And that's really all there is to it.
Amen, brother :)
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All of the 'complexities' surrounding this topic are groups seeking to conceal that they're doing it anyway as they've found a way to personally profit.