The European Commission and the network of national EU consumer authorities have given WhatsApp until February end to clarify the change the messaging platform made in 2021 to its terms of service and privacy policy, a press release by the Commission said. “WhatsApp must ensure that users understand what they agree to and how their personal data is used, in particular where it is shared with business partners. I expect from WhatsApp to fully comply with EU rules that protect consumers and their privacy.” – Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice In a statement to Reuters, a WhatsApp spokesperson said: "We look forward to explaining to the European Commission how we protect our users' privacy in compliance with our obligations under EU law." This same change in privacy policy is also under investigation by the Competition Commission of India for the impact it has on data sharing. However, the Delhi High Court earlier this month extended the time given to Facebook and Whatsapp to respond to notices sent to them by CCI until March on the grounds that the Data Protection Bill is yet to be finalised. In a hearing in July last year, WhatsApp told the Court that it has put its new privacy policy on hold until the Bill comes into force and it would not limit the functionality for users who haven’t agreed to the new privacy policy. What prompted the European Commission's notice? The Commission was acting on complaints received by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and eight of its members.…
