Turkey Suspends New WhatsApp Policy Rules, Opens Investigation

The online instant messaging application WhatsApp, last week forced its users to accept new privacy rules for sharing personal data with Facebook companies.

In this file photo taken on November 6, 2020 a user updates Facebook's WhatsApp application on his mobile phone in Mumbai.

Turkey's Competition Authority on Monday opened an investigation into Facebook and WhatsApp and suspended their new data-sharing rules. The online instant messaging application WhatsApp, last week forced its users to accept new privacy rules for sharing personal data with Facebook companies. The app could not be used unless the terms were accepted, the authority said in a statement. READ | ‘New Privacy Policy Will Not Affect How Individuals Engage With Friends Or Family Privately,’ Clarifies WhatsApp According to reports, the Turkish authorities have suspended the new policy of data sharing even if the users have agreed to the new rules, due to the potential for irreparable losses, until the conclusion of the investigation. In this context, Facebook too must suspend data sharing and announce its move to all users, the statement said. What’s in the new privacy policy of WhatsApp? WhatsApp's new Terms of Service and privacy policy, which will come into effect on February 8, has asked users to either accept the changes in its Terms of Service and privacy policy or their accounts will be deleted. The messaging platform will be collecting data that includes account information, address book information, status information, transactions and payments data, customer support communications, and messages in some circumstances. According to the company, messages are only stored on your device and not on the company servers. Although, WhatsApp’s policy has always said it shares information with Facebook. This isn’t the first time WhatsApp is facing privacy concerns. However, since 2016, WhatsApp has enabled end-to-end encryption, which means message and call content is not readable to WhatsApp.