WhatsApp has come under a severe setback since it said it wanted to update its privacy policy with changes that would allow Facebook to collect all of its users’ data in all of its services. And now the company may also be experiencing regulatory problems. A German privacy regulator (via Bloomberg) has initiated a procedure to prevent the company from continuing to update its privacy policy.
The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Johannes Caspar, wants to stop Facebook from collecting the data from WhatsApp, for fear that the company will use it to expand its marketing and advertising business.
Caspar said in a statement: “There is currently reason to believe that the provisions on the sharing of data between WhatsApp and Facebook are intended to be enforced illegally due to the lack of voluntary and informed consent. data to prevent an end to the illegal pressure of consent on millions of people, a formal administrative procedure has been initiated to protect those involved. ‘
The goal is to reach a decision before May 15, the date on which users must adopt the new privacy policy or (presumably) stop using WhatsApp. It is highly possible that the order applies only to German residents, but we can still hope that the proceedings will give priority to other countries and regulators.
The Hamburg commissioner had earlier successfully issued a similar order against Facebook four and a half years ago for updating WhatsApp’s terms and services with changes regarding the sharing of information in Facebook businesses. The order was confirmed in two cases after Facebook took legal action against it and that the sharing of data between Facebook and WhatsApp has since been more limited in the EU than in other regions.
