In order to avoid the brand image from tarnishing more due to the privacy update, WhatsApp on Sunday left a message on ‘status’ for its users giving them assurance of their privacy. In a set of four posts, Whatsapp said ”We are committed to your privacy’, ‘WhatsApp can’t read or listen to your personal conversations as they’re end to encrypted’, ‘WhatsApp can’t see your shared location’ and ‘WhatsApp doesn’t share your contacts with Facebook.’
This all comes after WhatsApp had sent notifications to its users, asking them to agree to their new terms and conditions, otherwise, they would not be able to use the app from February 8. However, on Saturday the company deferred the decision by 3 months.
“We’re now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8. We’re also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security work on WhatsApp. We’ll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.
Netizens have gone bananas waking up to this latest WhatApp move. Let’s see how twittples trolled the messaging company with #WhatsappStatus:
Whatsapp intervening my privacy.
My phone to whatsapp –#WhatsappStatus pic.twitter.com/iqHzVgOAyK
— Mannoj Meghwal (@SarcasticMannoj) January 17, 2021
When someone watch the #WhatsappStatus on whatsapp#WhatsApp headquarters 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/D0zrzwNJcG
— DP☕ (@_Dptweets7) January 17, 2021
Without saving the number today I am seeing status of whatsapp…
#WhatsappStatus
Whatsapp to me…. pic.twitter.com/djbzlufAED— Pratik singh Rajput (@pratiksingh648) January 17, 2021
Many mocked WhatsApp with sarcasm.
Behind the scene🤣#WhatsappStatus pic.twitter.com/aG8zPqisrP
— LUKE (@lukesnwl) January 17, 2021
People after seeing whatsapp status
#WhatsappStatus#WhatsAppPrivacyPolicy pic.twitter.com/0sVLch7pCQ— Shravan (@Shravan70320475) January 17, 2021
This move by WhatsApp to regain the trust of its users related to privacy has come a bit late as other messaging applications like Telegram and Signal have already reaped the advantages of the furore over the updated privacy policy of the company. Telegram and Signal0 experienced a sharp increase in their users while WhatsApp experienced a 35 per cent drop in its downloads.