EU consumer groups concerned over WhatsApp’s privacy policy

Many WhatsApp users switched to other chat apps such as Signal and Telegram because of privacy concerns when the update was rolled out earlier this year

Concerns over Facebook’s privacy policy do not seem to end. Just days after WhatsApp told the Delhi High Court (India) that it is putting on hold its new privacy policy till the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDP) comes into force, the Facebook owned messaging platform now faces a complaint from European Union (EU) consumer groups who say the chat service has been unfairly pressuring users to accept a new privacy update in what it calls a breach of the bloc’s regulations.

The European Consumer Organisation, or BEUC, filed a complaint Monday over the way WhatsApp has brought in changes to its terms of service and privacy policy. It said that the changes aren’t transparent or easily understood by users.

Many WhatsApp users switched to other chat apps such as Signal and Telegram because of privacy concerns when the update was rolled out earlier this year amid concerns that the changes would give Facebook access to more information on users.

WhatsApp has been bombarding users for months with aggressive and persistent pop-up messages to force them to accept its new terms of use and privacy policy, BEUC Director General Monique Goyens said. They’ve been telling users that their access to their app will be cut off if they do not accept the new terms. Yet consumers don’t know what they’re actually accepting.

BEUC and consumer rights groups from eight member countries filed the complaint to the EU’s executive Commission and the bloc’s network of consumer authorities.

WhatsApp said the complaint is based on a misunderstanding of the update’s purpose and effect and would welcome the opportunity to explain it to the BEUC.