There are just a few days left until, on May 15 , the around two billion users who use WhatsApp validate or reject the new terms of use , after the instant messaging application itself warned them with a fairly clear message: “The terms of service will go into effect on May 15, 2021. Please accept those terms of service to continue using WhatsApp after that date.”
But what will actually happen after the user accepts the new privacy policy? And if he dont do it?
If the user accepts the new terms of service, WhatsApp conversations will continue to be encrypted end-to-end . And, furthermore, neither Facebook nor WhatsApp will be able to see these private messages.
However, in case of rejection, although the account will not be deleted, access to some of its main functions will be restricted . What’s more, WhatsApp itself indicates that, for a short time, the user who does not accept the new terms will be able to receive calls and notifications, but will not be able to read or send messages from the app . Although we will analyze this problem in more detail in a future section.
As we have already mentioned at some point or other, this new privacy policy should originally have come into effect on February 8, but after the outcry generated by this announcement among users, Facebook decided to postpone it for more than three months.
At that time, in fact, most users were concerned about seeing their data (such as surname, first name, phone number, IP address …) shared with Facebook, so many took the opportunity to migrate to Signal , one of WhatsApp’s main competitors.
For weeks, different hoaxes related to what could supposedly happen if we end up not accepting the new WhatsApp terms of service have been spreading on the Internet. And one of the most common has to do with the alleged deletion of our account . But, in reality, this is absolutely false .
Contrary to popular belief, the user who rejects the new terms will not be prohibited from using WhatsApp (that is, no account will be deleted), but this does not mean that some substantial changes will not occur.
Although the company itself specifies that it will be possible to remain connected to WhatsApp after not accepting the terms of service on May 15, the user will only be able to receive calls and notifications when a message is sent . However, you will not be able to make calls and you will not be able to read, write or send messages .
This means that although the account will remain open and accessible, the end use of WhatsApp will be severely limited . Of course, those users who have not accepted the new policy before the 15th, can do so later in order to regain full access to this mobile application.
At the same time, we must bear in mind that WhatsApp does not specify if this restricted access to its service will be maintained over time, or if they have even planned in subsequent months the elimination of those accounts that have refused to accept the new usage policy. . In this sense, the company has only limited itself to saying that it will apply its policy on inactive accounts .
And what happens to inactive accounts after 120 days? The platform removes them in order to “limit data retention and protect user privacy.”
Of course, what we do not know in this case is whether WhatsApp will understand as “offline” those accounts that, by not accepting their new terms of use, cannot send, read or receive messages. As time will tell.
