Home
Apps
Apps News
WhatsApp Data Sharing With Facebook to Be Monitored by UK Regulator

WhatsApp Data Sharing With Facebook to Be Monitored by UK Regulator

By Reuters | Updated: 29 August 2016 09:21 IST

Click Here to Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Britain's data privacy regulator said on Friday it would monitor how popular messaging service WhatsApp shares data with parent Facebook under a new privacy policy.

The Information Commission's Office (ICO) said while some users may be concerned by the lack of control provided by the updated privacy policy, others may consider it a positive.

WhatsApp, which has more than a billion users, said on Thursday it would start sharing users' phone numbers with Facebook, allowing for more relevant advertisements and friend recommendations on the social media network.

However, the ICO does not have the power to block such a move.

"Organizations do not need to get prior approval from the ICO to change their approaches, but they do need to stay within data protection laws," said Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham.

WhatsApp has said users could choose not to share account information with Facebook.

(Also see: How to Stop WhatsApp From Sharing Your Details With Facebook)

The company said the change was part of its plan to explore ways for businesses to send messages using its platform.

WhatsApp said earlier this year that it was experimenting making businesses pay to reach their customers through the service.

Comments

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: WhatsApp, Facebook, Social, App

PS4 Slim and PS4 Neo Support 5GHz Wi-Fi

WhatsApp Data Sharing With Facebook to Be Monitored by UK Regulator

Related Stories