WhatsApp agreed to temporarily stop sharing data of UK users with Facebook on the request of the country’s privacy watchdog.
Two months ago, Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said she was going to investigate how WhatsApp shares data with its parent. Now she has reached her conclusion.
“I don’t think users have been given enough information about what Facebook plans to do with their information, and I don’t think WhatsApp has got valid consent from users to share the information,” wrote Denham in a blog post.
“We’ve set out the law clearly to Facebook, and we’re pleased that they’ve agreed to pause using data from UK WhatsApp users for advertisements or product improvement purposes,” she added.
The Commission also asked Facebook and WhatsApp to sign an undertaking to better explain to customers how their data will be used, and to give users ongoing control over that information.
The organisation also wants users “to be given an unambiguous choice” before Facebook starts using their information and to be given the opportunity to change that decision at any point in the future.
“We think consumers deserve a greater level of information and protection, but so far Facebook and WhatsApp haven’t agreed. If Facebook starts using the data without valid consent, it may face enforcement action from my office,” she warned.
The Commission plans to keep pushing on the issue, both from its own office and alongside other data protection authorities across Europe, including the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, where Facebook’s EU headquarters are based.
Ever since WhatsApp announced in August that it was going to share user data with Facebook to track basic metrics about how people use the service, offer better friend suggestions and show more relevant ads, it has come under fire from watchdogs in Europe as well as the FTC in the US who are worried about what this means about the privacy and security of user data.
Last month, European Union privacy regulators told WhatsApp to “pause” its sharing of user data with parent Facebook as the policy is investigated.
Comments