May 15 is the deadline by which WhatsApp users must agree to accept the messenger's new privacy policy.
For those who refuse to do so, the company is going to impose restrictions and block access to calls and messages.
The company drew attention to the fact that at first users will lose access to the chat list, but will be able to answer incoming audio and video calls.
After a few weeks of restrictions, WhatsApp will stop sending messages and calls to the phone of such users.
"From now on, the functionality of WhatsApp will be limited until you accept the update," the company said.
WhatsApp clarified that after a few weeks, the reminder of the upcoming update can no longer be dismissed.
The new privacy policy for users of the WhatsApp messenger is contrary to ethics and Russian law, said Anton Gorelkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications.
“WhatsApp's new privacy policy is primarily unethical.
They recruited users on the same conditions, and now they have put everyone in front of the fact that the conditions will be different or lose their accounts, ”TASS quoted him as saying.
The deputy recalled that at the end of December, a law entered into force in Russia obliging the operator of personal data to ask the user's consent to transfer them to third parties.
“WhatsApp, technically, does it.
But in an ultimatum form, not giving the user a choice.
In my opinion, this is a violation of the law, ”Gorelkin emphasized.
We will remind, in January, WhatsApp said that in accordance with the new privacy policy, the personal data of users of the messenger will be made available to all families of applications of the company Facebook, which owns the messenger.
“As a Facebook company, WhatsApp receives information from other Facebook companies and provides information to other Facebook companies.
We may use the information received from these companies, and they may use the information provided by us to ensure the functioning of our services, provide them, improve, analyze, customize, maintain and promote our services and their offerings, including the products of Facebook companies ”, - stated on WhatsApp.
They added that the messenger uses the international infrastructure and data centers of Facebook, in particular, located in the United States.
Initially, the user agreement update was scheduled for the winter, but WhatsApp faced strong criticism from its users, after which it announced that it would postpone the measure until May 15.
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As the director of the Association of Professional Users of Social Networks and Messengers, Vladimir Zykov, explained to RT, from May 15, users will have a so-called irrevocable notice of the entry into force of the new privacy policy.
“It cannot be canceled or closed, it will be an eyesore until the user agrees with this privacy policy.
If the user does not agree, then in a few weeks he will be limited to a number of functions, and in another two weeks he will no longer be able to use WhatsApp in principle, "Zykov explained.
As the specialist noted, at the same time, WhatsApp states that they will not delete the user's account.
“That is, if the user comes back, changes his mind and can accept the privacy policy, he will be able to continue to use the service,” he added.
The expert expressed the opinion that the majority of users "automatically agree" with the new privacy policy.
“The fact is that Facebook itself strives to maximize monetization of all its data.
They initially provide their services for free.
That is, you go in and use all the services without paying any money.
Moreover, the main product in this system is the user himself.
Facebook sells it as a product to advertisers, ”he explained.
A similar opinion was expressed in an interview with RT by cybersecurity specialist Andrei Masalovich.
“Facebook, as the owner of WhatsApp, has long wanted to monetize the messenger's contact base.
In order to start making good money on this, you need to do the so-called profiling: that is, for each user, raise who he is talking to, what he is interested in.
I used the word "tour", contextual advertising went.
That is, espionage will not increase, it will just become noticeable, ”he confirmed.
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On May 12, Roskomnadzor warned about the possible risks of using the messenger.
The department noted that WhatsApp has been transmitting a significant amount of user data to Facebook since 2014.
“Citizens of Russia must clearly understand the risks associated with the transfer of their personal data to foreign companies,” the department said.
They recalled that Russian and European legislation on the protection of personal data is stricter than in the United States.
Roskomnadzor clarified that Facebook Inc., which owns the WhatsApp messenger, operates in the American jurisdiction.
At the same time, the head of the State Duma committee on information policy, information technology and communications, Alexander Khinshtein, said that he intends to discuss with Roskomnadzor measures to respond to the update of the WhatsApp user agreement.
“I believe that changes in the WhatsApp policy are contrary to Russian law, since personal data is the inalienable property of their owner and the possibility of their transfer to third or more parties without the consent of the person himself is impossible,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
It is worth noting that in April information appeared that the personal data of more than 533 million Facebook users were posted on the Internet.
Then Roskomnadzor sent a request to the management of Facebook Inc with the requirement to provide the most complete information about the leak of personal data of Russian users.
"Roskomnadzor requires the administration of the social network to take all the necessary measures to prevent such leaks," the department said.
At the same time, the company admitted the leak, stating that the attackers obtained information not by hacking, but by extracting data from the company's platform.