WhatsApp users have received a notice these days in the application itself with the possibility to accept or “not now” new conditions of use and privacy policies that will be implemented on February 8. Indeed, from 8 February onwards, it is compulsory to accept the new conditions for access to the application. On the contrary, the update message addresses the option of deleting the account.

What is the update? The most important change is the sharing of user data. The update allows WhatsApp to share information with Facebook in European countries, except the European Union, the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom.

Facebook bought the messaging app six years ago for $19 billion, and since then the link between them has been strengthened, especially in terms of data exchange. From 8 February, it will be compulsory except in Europe.

As has been said, the updating of the conditions of use will not affect the sharing of data of users in European countries. WhatsApp Ireland is the company that manages the data of the users of the application in European countries and does not share them with Facebook in compliance with the 2018 EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Users of Euskal Herria, although this change still does not affect them anymore, the importance of users' data accumulated by the applications has been highlighted. The data collected by WhatsApp are very varied: the phone number and the information provided during the registration (e.g. the name); the information about the phone, including the brand, the model and the telephone company; the IP address, which indicates the location of the internet connection. But also contacts, status updates, when and for how long the application is used, if desired.