WhatsApp Claims Apps Like Aarogya Setu, Zoom, TrueCaller, Collect More Data

Whatsapp self destructing photos

WhatsApp’s new privacy policies are giving it a boatload of trouble across the world, with people worried about their privacy, and actively switching from WhatsApp to Signal and Telegram. In the midst of the uproar against WhatsApp’s new policy (which Germany has already rejected outright), the company today filed an affidavit in the Delhi High Court.

As per a report from Inc42, WhatsApp’s affidavit cites the privacy policies of multiple companies, including Zoom and TrueCaller, as well as Indian start-ups BigBasket, Zomato, and Ola. The affidavit states that these apps’ privacy policies allow them to collect just as much data as WhatsApp’s new policy, and in some cases, even more data than WhatsApp will be able to collect.

“A review of the privacy policies of many internet-based applications and websites confirms that such policies include provisions describing the information they may collect that are similar to – and in many instances much broader than – those in the 2021 Update,” wrote WhatsApp in its affidavit.

For anyone not following along the entire WhatsApp saga this year, the company originally announced the new privacy policy in January of this year with a Feb 8 deadline for people to accept the new terms. However, following widespread criticism, the company delayed it to May 15.

Now, the company has clarified that it will not delete accounts of users who don’t accept the new policy by May 15, but will start stripping their account of WhatsApp features over the course of a few weeks, until they accept the new terms.

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comment Comments 4
  • Sai says:

    Well yeah they do collect more. Swiggy might need your address, so that it can deliver food to your house. What does whatsapp need my location for? Also, who told its okay for them to do it. The Gov should look into it. I think adopting EU standards is the best way to go.
    And funny note, swiggy website has facebook analytics and other things connected to facebook. So they essentially steal from their own apps and from other apps as well. Say no to whatsapp

  • Rahul Raj says:

    It’s like saying, he’s also bad, so I also get a chance to be bad, and you must not scold me.
    BTW, Swiggy, Bigbasket, and Zomato are doing essential deliveries during lockdown and bad times, and they do need some additional data, as compared to a “chatting/texting” app.
    Facebook collects data of even NON USERS. WHY THE **** do they need data of non users? They collect data accross the web, many platforms have the FACEBOOK thingy integrated in them to deliver data to FACEBOOK servers, which is NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

    Indian govt must ban whatsapp, only then will the people realise that there’s an imminent need to shift to Signal

    • Mm says:

      Agreed

    • Chirag Sojitra says:

      True Agreed Ban Chatting App Those Ask For Unnecessary Permission. Some Of Games In Playstore Who Ask For Gallery Permission Text Msg is working perfect.
      Even Aarogya Setu app is same they take permisson for bluetooth. I dont know why they take bluetooth permission & contact permission. The report mentions that user data of more than 150 million Aarogya Setu users might be at risk. They are tracing our contact too.

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