WhatsApp’s latest update to its privacy policy is an “absolute violation” of the right to privacy, and gives the company a a 360-degree profile of a person's online activity, a petition filed in the Delhi High Court on Thursday contended. It prayed for the IT Ministry to lay down guidelines to prevent WhatsApp from sharing its users’ data with any third party, or Facebook and its companies for any purpose whatsoever. It also urged the court to stop the roll out of WhatsApp’s privacy policy with immediate effect. Bar and Bench first reported this. Earlier this month, the popular messaging service alerted users of updates to its privacy policy and terms of service, which will go live on February 8. The updates, which are mandatory for users to accept for using the service, allow for a closer integration of WhatsApp into the larger Facebook ecosystem and group of companies. The updated privacy policy said that the service will use a device’s IP address, and other information like phone number area codes to estimate their general location, even if a user doesn’t use the its location-related features. Businesses that users interact with on the platform may share information about their interactions with users, with WhatsApp (more details below). The petition was filed by Advocate Chaitanya Rohilla, through Advocate Manohar Lal. MediaNama has seen a copy of the petition. WhatsApp’s privacy policy ‘jeopardises’ India’s national security: Petitioner The petition said that these provisions in WhatsApp’s privacy policy have “made a mockery out…
