Facebook announced WhatsApp data sharing earlier this year, the controversial move allows the cross-platform messaging service to share user data with its parent company, data which can be used for the purposes of advertising. The move wasn’t very well received and has been subject to regulatory scrutiny, particularly in Europe, and the company is having to make adjustments. Facebook has confirmed that it has temporarily suspended WhatsApp data sharing in the United Kingdom following an investigation by ICO, the data protection watchdog.
This pause in data sharing is only said to apply to user information that was shared for advertisement purposes, data is reportedly still being shared with Facebook for fighting spam and business intelligence-related tasks.
UK information commissioner Elizabeth Denham writes in a blog post that “I don’t think users have been given enough information about what Facebook plans to do with their information, and I don’t think WhatsApp has got valid consent from users to share the information.” The commissioner is also of the view that users should have ongoing control over how their information is shared with Facebook and not just a 30 day window to opt-in or out.
“We’ve set out the law clearly to Facebook, and we’re pleased that they’ve agreed to pause using data from UK WhatsApp users for advertisements or product improvement purposes,” the commissioner confirmed.
Facebook has responded to the criticism by saying that users have been given a “clear and simple explanation” of how the service works aside from the choice over how their data is used. However, the company has said that it remains open to working with the ICO and other data protection officials to address their concerns.