Whilst another tweeted: “Anyone in the same boat as me; not keen to agree with the new Whatsapp terms? ”
WhatsApp has confirmed to Express.co.uk that it will not be deleting any accounts that refuse to agree to the small-print, but those who refuse will lose some of the most important features found within the app. Explaining more, WhatsApp said: “WhatsApp will not delete your account. However, you won’t have full functionality of WhatsApp until you accept. For a short time, you’ll be able to receive calls and notifications, but won’t be able to read or send messages from the app.”
So, if you love chatting with friends and family and don’t want to miss out on the latest gossip you only have around six weeks to make the decision on whether you’re happy to accept WhatsApp changes.
READ MORE: WhatsApp reveals eight simple things every iPhone and Android user must do TODAY
When WhatsApp first announced its updated terms towards the end of last year, many loyal users were concerned that it signalled more data-sharing between the chat app and its parent company Facebook.
However, WhatsApp has stressed to users that this is not the case. The upcoming changes do not enable Facebook to access any more data from your personal chats. In fact, it will only impact conversations with a business account – like a customer care line for an online brand, for example. Even then, the data that can be accessed between these optional interactions with business accounts will not apply in the UK or mainland Europe, thanks to tough EU regulations on data-sharing practices.
To help fans feel more confident with the changes, WhatsApp said in its recent blog post: “As a reminder, we’re building new ways to chat or shop with a business on WhatsApp that are entirely optional. Personal messages will always be end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp can’t read or listen to them.
“In the coming weeks, we’ll display a banner in WhatsApp providing more information that people can read at their own pace. We’ve also included more information to try and address concerns we’re hearing. Eventually, we’ll start reminding people to review and accept these updates to keep using WhatsApp.”
Sadly, if you want to keep messaging after May 15 you are going to have to accept the new terms as not doing so will leave you without access to the most popular chat app on the planet. If you think it’s time to turn your back on WhatsApp and want to start messaging friends and family using a more privacy-focused option, Express.co.uk has got you covered.
Find our recommendations for the most secure WhatsApp alternatives on iPhone and Android here.
