WhatsApp’s new terms of service will not compromise the privacy of user messages with friends or family in any way, the company announced on its blog.
The popular messaging service recently caused a frenzy around the world after announcing its new privacy policy according to which personal data of users including phone numbers and locations would be shared with its parent company Facebook.
The facebook-owned company clarified concerns of users and privacy activists who questioned the “accept our data grab or get out” move.
“We want to be clear that the policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way. Instead, this update includes changes related to messaging a business on WhatsApp, which is optional, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data,” says WhatsApp.
User chats and calls will always be protected by end-to-end encryption. The company will not be keeping a contact record for its two billion users as it is both a privacy and security risk. Further, the location being sent to friends and family will also be encrypted.
