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Does WhatsApp policy comply with SA privacy laws? Information regulator jumps in

The Information Regulator says it will analyse the revised WhatsApp policy which has driven millions of users to join other messaging services.
The Information Regulator says it will analyse the revised WhatsApp policy which has driven millions of users to join other messaging services.
Image: Andrew Harrer

The Information Regulator says it will analyse the revised WhatsApp privacy policy to assess whether its terms of service are in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia).

The regulator said it had met on Wednesday to discuss the social media app's revised policy.

“The regulator has made contact with Facebook South Africa, which has provided the regulator with the WhatsApp privacy policy, which was revised on January 4. The engagements with Facebook South Africa are ongoing,” it said.

“In terms of the revised policy, it appears that there are different terms of service and privacy policies for users in European countries and in non-European Countries.

“The regulator will be analysing whether the terms of service and the privacy policies indeed differ and whether the privacy policy applicable to users outside Europe, which include South African users, are in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia),” said the regulator.

It said it would engage with Facebook after the completion of the analysis.

TimesLIVE

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