In the last one week, there is a lot of buzz about WhatsApp's new privacy policy. Ever since the Facebook-owned app sent a notification to users about the updated privacy policy on sharing data with the parent company, people have had many concerns. At a time when we hear of so many data breach and online frauds, people are considering switching from the app even. Telegram and Signal are emerging options that some users have already switched to. But what does the new WhatsApp Privacy Policy actually mean? What data does it take from the users? What will be shared with Facebook? Does WhatsApp read your private conversations? We get it if you are having these questions and WhatsApp themselves have released answers to these Frequently-Asked Questions. If you too are having a hard time understanding the new privacy policy, read on to know more. WhatsApp Account Will Be Deleted if You Failed To Accept Updated Terms of Service & Privacy Policy, Here’s Why.

WhatsApp Privacy Policy FAQs

Can WhatsApp See Your Private Messages or Hear Calls?

No, nor WhatsApp or Facebook can see your private messages or hear on your calls. Your conversations stay between you and the person you are talking to. This is because the personal messages are protected by end-to-end encryption. With this your messages are secured with a lock, and only the recipient and you have the special key needed to unlock and read them.

Does WhatsApp Have Your Call or Message Log?

Mobile carriers and operators store this information. WhatsApp does not keep records for over billions of users for both a privacy and security risk. WhatsApp Agrees To Indian Government’s Demand For Protecting Privacy of Users.

Can WhatsApp/Facebook See Your Shared Location?

When a person shares their location with someone on WhatsApp, it is protected by end-to-end encryption, which means no one can see your location except the people you share it with.

Does WhatsApp Share Contacts With Facebook?

WhatsApp has the permission to access your phone numbers from the address book, which is how you see them in your WhatsApp contact list. Your contacts are not shared with other apps Facebook offers.

Are WhatsApp Groups Private?

Yes, even group chats are end-to-end encrypted so WhatsApp can’t see their content. It does not share this data with Facebook for ads purposes. WhatsApp Private Group Chat Listed Links on Google Search Now Removed.

How to Download Your WhatsApp Data?

To check on what information does WhatsApp have from your account, you can download your own data and check. here's how to download your WhatsApp account information:

  1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Request account info.

  2. Tap Request report. The screen will update to state Request sent.

It takes about three days to make the report and you can download the ZIP file from the same Request Info section. Planning to Delete Instagram? Know How to Download all Your Instagram Data Including Photos, Comments and Profile Information Before Uninstalling The App.

What Does Disappearing Messages Mean?

WhatsApp's recently announced 'Disappearing Messages' feature automatically make the messages disappear after seven days. However, the other person too needs to enable the feature for you. This ensures additional privacy.

WhatsApp Business Account Information

The terms differ if you have a business account on WhatsApp. In that case, businesses need hosting services to manage their communication. So WhatsApp offers secure hosting services from Facebook to manage WhatsApp chats with their customers, answer questions, and send helpful information. This communication is shared with Facebook for advertising and marketing purposes.

With the new commerce features, some businesses will display their goods right within WhatsApp so people can see what’s available to buy. Your shopping activity is personalized to experience the ads you see on Facebook and Instagram.

These questions have been answered by the messaging app itself. You can check it out here. So now you clearly know the terms of privacy policy. You can also do your own bit of research to understand how data sharing works for targeted ads online.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 12, 2021 11:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).