WhatsApp to launch public outreach exercise to push policy

Mobile messaging service provider WhatsApp has decided to launch a public outreach exercise to explain its controversial privacy policy to users, outlining in more detail what this involves, but seemingly deciding to go ahead with a plan that the Indian government has asked the company to abandon.

The move relates to the company’s decision to enforce a new privacy policy, which was under fire by critics who said it allowed WhatsApp to share more data with its parent Facebook without giving users the opportunity to opt out of it.

In a blog post published early on Friday, the company said it will now simplify the update to make people understand the nuances of the revised policy. “We’ve reflected on what we could have done better here. We want everyone to know our history of defending end-to-end encryption and trust we’re committed to protecting people’s privacy and security.