The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) on Monday lodged a complaint against Facebook-owned WhatsApp messenger over the company’s latest privacy policy updates. In January WhatsApp introduced a new privacy policy, according to which, some data of the users could be shared with its parent company Facebook Inc and other firms owned by the group. However, WhatsApp also said that the changes would not affect private conversations of the users.
Many users globally criticised the new policies of the company and rival messaging applications such as Telegram and Signal messenger also saw their user base expanding due to many switching from WhatsApp.
Criticising this policy change, the BEUC along with eight of its members, lodged a complaint with the European Commission and the European network of consumer authorities aimed at WhatsApp for “multiple breaches of consumer rights.” The complaint focussed on how the company has left no choice for its users but to accept the changes. “The content of these notifications, their nature, timing and recurrence put an undue pressure on users and impair their freedom of choice. As such, they are a breach of the EU Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices,” the BEUC’s complaint said.
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Also, it pointed out that the new terms of use have not been explained in simple and plain language by the company. “It is basically impossible for consumers to get a clear understanding of what consequences WhatsApp’s changes entail for their privacy, particularly in relation to the transfer of their personal data to Facebook and other third parties,” it said, noting that the ambiguity amounts to a breach of EU’s consumer laws.
In an accompanying report with the complaint, titled ‘What’s Up With WhatsApp – an assessment of WhatsApp’s practices in the light of EU consumer protection rule,’ the BEUC said the data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook has increased incrementally with various amendments to the privacy policy of the messaging platform by the parent company.
Meanwhile, Facebook, in its response, said that the BEUC has misunderstood the purpose of the terms of service. “BEUC’s action is based on a misunderstanding of the purpose and effect of the update to our terms of service,” news agency Reuters quoted a spokesperson from the company.
“The update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook, and does not impact the privacy of your messages with friends or family, wherever they are in the world. We would welcome an opportunity to explain the update to BEUC to clarify what it means for people,” they further said, Reuters reported.
BEUC, an umbrella group of 46 independent consumer organisations from 32 countries, urged the European network of consumer authorities and network of data protection authorities “to work in close cooperation” regarding the issue.
