Whatsapp wants users to accept new policy by Feb 8

LAHORE: Elon Reeve Musk, world's richest man with US$209 billion (equivalent to Rs33,649 billion Pakistani rupees) in his wallet on Jan 7, 2021, has asked his 29.8 million Twitter followers to start using the California-based ‘Signal’ messaging Application, owned by Facebook, which has over 1.7 billion users globally.

Following Elon Musk's tweet, more than 100,000 users hurriedly installed ‘Signal’ across the app stores of Apple and Google during the last two days, making its application crash, though there is no estimate as to how many people have actually parted ways with Whatsapp and opted for Signal messenger.

Various American media houses have stated that Musk's tweet arrived just hours after WhatsApp had announced a new privacy policy, according to which, it can share user data with Facebook, which has quite an unenviable record on digital privacy.

Some asserted that it was an apparent attempt to discourage people from using WhatsApp, which has given its users a deadline of February 8 to accept the new policy or cease using the wildly-popular app altogether.

The Whatsapp categorically states: "You must register for our Services using accurate data, provide your current mobile phone number, and, if you change it, update this mobile phone number using our in-app change number feature.

You agree to receive text messages and phone calls (from us or our third-party providers) with codes to register for our services. You provide us the phone numbers of WhatsApp users and your other contacts in your mobile phone address book on a regular basis. You confirm you are authorised to provide us such numbers to allow us to provide our services."

It adds: "You are responsible for all carrier data plan and other fees and taxes associated with your use of our services. We may charge you for our services, including applicable taxes. We may refuse or cancel orders. We do not provide refunds for our services, except as required by law. You must use our services according to our terms and posted policies. If we disable your account for a violation of our terms, you will not create another account without our permission.

In order to operate and provide our services, you grant WhatsApp a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable licence to use, reproduce, distribute, create derivative works of, display, and perform the information (including the content) that you upload, submit, store, send, or receive on or through our services."

Quite a stern and strong-worded ultimatum for millions of people of all ages who tend to take WhatsApp as their best friend in hours of solitude and are not shy confessing it!