Refusers are banned from using their accounts as of February 8th
"WhatsApp" is facing criticism after amending the terms of use
"WhatsApp" considered that updates to privacy settings are common in the sector.
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The "WhatsApp" messaging service is facing criticism, following its request from its nearly two billion users around the world to agree to new terms of use that allow it to share more data with Facebook, which owns the application.
Users who refuse to accept the new terms will be banned from using their accounts from February 8th.
The group seeks to generate cash revenues by allowing advertisers to communicate with their customers through WhatsApp, or even sell their products directly through the platform, which is what the network started working on in India.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said: “Updates on privacy settings are common in the sector, and we provide our users with all the information necessary to verify the changes that will take place, as of February 8th.”
The company pointed out that the data that may be shared between "WhatsApp" and the system of "Facebook" applications, including "Instagram" and "Messenger", includes contacts and profile information, and does not include the content of messages that remain encrypted.
However, the new conditions differ between the European Union and the rest of the world. In the case of the European Union and Britain, this data will only be used to develop features provided for professionals' accounts through WhatsApp, according to WhatsApp.
"WhatsApp" does not share the data of its European users with "Facebook" except for the latter to use it to improve its products or ads, according to a spokesperson for the messaging service.
"If the only way to reject this amendment is to stop using WhatsApp, the element of consent becomes coerced, and the data processing is illegal," said Artur Meso, a legal expert at an organization that defends the rights of Internet users.
Many users have complained via Twitter in recent hours that they have been granted approval of the new terms of use without reading them in detail.
The president of Tesla, Elon Musk, hinted in a tweet via Twitter that the rival Signal app could be used.
In response to a question on the subject, spokesmen for the European Commission reminded that Facebook had paid a fine of 110 million euros in 2017 for providing false information during an investigation by the European Union regarding the WhatsApp purchase.
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