According to reports, the European Commission announced today that Meta (Facebook)’s instant messaging app WhatsApp must clarify some recent changes to its terms of service and privacy policy within a month to ensure compliance with EU consumer protection laws.
Previously, the European Commission had expressed concern that consumers lacked clear information on the consequences of their decision to accept or reject WhatsApp’s new terms of service.
EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said in a statement today: WhatsApp must ensure that users understand what they have consented to and how their personal data is being used, for example in which Places share this data with business partners. WhatsApp must make a concrete commitment to us by the end of February on how it will address our concerns.
Last September, WhatsApp’s main regulator in the European Union, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), fined WhatsApp a record 225 million euros ($266 million) for not being transparent about sharing personal data.
In January last year, WhatsApp released a new version of its privacy policy, saying it would share more user data and details of platform interactions with its parent company Meta. The move was opposed by many users.
In July, European consumer group BEUC complained to the European Commission about WhatsApp’s failure to explain in plain language how the new privacy policy differs from the old one. It is difficult for consumers to understand how changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy will affect their privacy.
Under EU consumer law, businesses must use clear and transparent contractual terms and commercial communications. Therefore, WhatsApp’s ambiguous approach violates EU consumer protection laws.