WhatsApp to adopt more transparency on policy changes: EU
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WhatsApp violated EU law by failing to clarify the changes in simple and understandable terms.
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WhatsApp logo on a phone (Reuters)
The European Commission announced on Monday that Meta Platforms' (META.O) WhatsApp has agreed to be more transparent about changes to its privacy policy introduced in 2021, in response to complaints from consumer organizations across Europe.
According to the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the European Network of Consumer Authorities, WhatsApp violated EU law by failing to clarify the changes in simple and understandable terms.
It is worth noting that national regulators in EU member countries have the authority to sanction enterprises that violate the rules.
WhatsApp has now committed to clarifying changes to EU users' contracts and how they may affect their rights, as well as to prominently display the option for users to accept or reject the changes and to ensure that users may simply cancel pop-up notifications on updates.
"Consumers have a right to understand what they agree to and what that choice entails concretely so that they can decide whether they want to continue using the platform," Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
