Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

WhatsApp updates privacy policy after record €225m fine

WhatsApp updates privacy policy after record €225m fine

The messaging company says it is appealing against the fine, but has updated the privacy policy to make it more transparent to users.

WhatsApp has updated its privacy policy to be more transparent to users following a record €225m (£188m) fine and reprimand from regulators earlier this year.

The company says that the update doesn't change how it handles user data, but meets the demands of European Union privacy regulators about how transparent it is about this handling.

At its core, the ruling in September said that Meta (then Facebook) failed to adequately inform individuals of which jurisdictions WhatsApp processes users' data in and how it identifies people in their contacts books.

The new policy takes effect in the UK as well as other European jurisdictions that have adopted the European Union's General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

The decision was supported by the European Data Protection Board


What did WhatsApp do wrong?


The fine was (and remains) the highest ever issued by the Irish DPC, which is the EU's lead privacy regulator for Meta as the company's European operations are based in Dublin.

It was issued after the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) in Brussels was called in to settle a dispute about WhatsApp between several EU privacy watchdogs to ensure the law was being interpreted the same way across the whole of the bloc.

The EDPB published a technically-detailed binding decision in July explaining why WhatsApp was not compliant with the GDPR, and recommended to the Irish DPC that it impose a record fine on the company.

In a statement accompanying the update to the privacy policy, a spokesperson for WhatsApp said: "As ordered by the Irish [DPC], we have reorganised and added more detail to our Privacy Policy for people in the European Region.

"We disagree with the decision and are appealing because we believe we already provided the required information to all our users," the spokesperson added.

"This update does not change our commitment to user privacy or the way we operate our service, including how we process, use or share your data with anyone, including Meta.

"Wherever you are in the world, we protect all personal messages with end-to-end encryption, which means no one, not even WhatsApp, can read or listen to them," they added.

The new privacy policy won't require users to accept new terms and conditions, something which caused outcry earlier this year and led to many WhatsApp users downloading different messaging apps.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×