New Privacy Policy Voluntarily On Hold, Won’t Compel Users To Adopt: WhatsApp Tells Delhi HC

WhatsApp clarified before the bench saying that it would not limit the functionality for users who are not opting for new privacy policy in the meantime.

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New Delhi: In its response to the Delhi High Court, the Facebook-owned messaging WhatsApp on Friday said it would not compel users to opt for its new privacy policy as it has been put on hold till the data protection bill comes into force.

Clarifying its action before the bench of Chief justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, the platform said it would not limit the functionality for users who are not opting for new privacy policy.

While presenting the case for for platform, Senior Advocate Harish Salve said, "We voluntarily agreed to put it (the policy) on hold... we will not compel people to accept."

However, the platform would continue to display the update to its users from time to time.

The court is hearing the appeals of Facebook and its firm WhatsApp against the single-judge order refusing to stop the competition regulator CCI's order directing a probe into WhatsApp's new privacy policy.

Earlier on May 17, the messaging platform had informed about its attempt to get users on board to accept the new policies. In case they do not do so, their accounts were to eventually be deleted.

WhatsApp then said there was no universal or uniform time limit after which it would start deleting accounts as each user would be dealt with on a case-to-case basis.

The platform’s new privacy policy came into effect on May 15.

Later on May 25, it clarified that it will not limit its functions for users who do not accept the new privacy policy.