Meta Platforms' WhatsApp has agreed to be more transparent about changes to
its privacy policy introduced in 2021, the European Commission said.
This follows complaints from consumer bodies across Europe.
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the European Network of
consumer authorities told WhatsApp last year that it had not clarified the
changes in plain and intelligible language, violating the bloc's laws.
EU members' national regulators can sanction companies for breaches.
WhatsApp has now agreed to explain changes to EU users' contracts and how
these could affect their rights.
It has also agreed to display prominently the possibility for users to
accept or reject the changes and ensure that users can easily close pop-up
notifications on updates.
The company also confirmed that users' personal data is not shared with
third parties or other Meta companies, including Facebook, for advertising
purposes.
"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.
The commitment from WhatsApp follows a cross-European action jointly led by
the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Swedish Consumer
Agency (Om Konsumentverket) and the European Commission.
Kevin O'Brien from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said
it was crucial that consumers have clear information presented in a
consumer-friendly manner so that they can understand and make informed
decisions about changes to the terms and conditions of a service they are
receiving.
"As social media platforms constantly evolve, they must act within the law,"
Mr O'Brien said.
"Platforms such as Whatsapp are required to be fair and transparent in how
they communicate with their users. This work, led by the CCPC and our
Swedish counterparts will ensure fairer treatment of Whatsapp users in
Ireland and across the European Union," he added.
The CCPC and Om Konsumentverket are members of the CPC Network, which is
comprised of the national authorities responsible for enforcing European
Union consumer protection laws in EU and EEA countries.
Under the CPC framework, national authorities can work together to
effectively tackle widespread infringements of EU consumer law and review
commercial practices of traders.
RTÉ Technology.
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