WhatsApp counters govt’s ‘trick consent’ remark, defends privacy policy notifications to users

WhatsApp, on June 3, responded to the central government’s claim over the messaging platform’s alleged ‘trick consent’ from users for its updated privacy policy saying it accords highest priority to privacy of users.

“We reiterate that we have already responded to the Government of India and assured them that the privacy of users remains our highest priority,” WhatsApp said in a statement soon after the Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing of pleas challenging the messaging app’s revised privacy policy.

WhatsApp’s statement comes against the backdrop of an affidavit filed by the Centre in the court earlier in the day. The government has alleged that the Facebook-owned messaging platform has tricked “unsuspecting” users into accepting its new policy.

Though concerns have been raised against the policy globally, WhatsApp maintains the recent update, which came into force in India on May 15, does not change the privacy of people’s personal messages. The update’s purpose is to provide additional information about how people can interact with businesses if they choose to do so, the Facebook-owned unit said.

On Centre’s contention against multiple notifications to users about the update, WhatsApp clarified, “We will not limit the functionality of how WhatsApp works in the coming weeks. Instead, we will continue to remind users from time to time about the update as well as when people choose to use relevant optional features, like communicating with a business that is receiving support from Facebook.”

The app will maintain this approach until at least the forthcoming Personal Data Protection (PDP) law comes into effect, according to the statement.

The government, however, has urged the court to issue interim orders to WhatsApp to refrain from any action of 'push notifications' onto users.

“Millions of Whatsapp users who haven’t accepted new policy are bombarded with notifications every day,” the government has claimed and requested the court to direct the app to place on record the number of times such notifications are being pushed daily and their conversion rate.

WhatsApp’s fresh terms, meant to increase business transactions on the platform, would allow the owner Facebook and its subsidiaries to collect user data, including their phone number and location. The messaging platform, however, has time and again clarified that the update is focused on allowing users to message with businesses and would not affect personal conversations, which will continue to have end-to-end encryption.