WhatsApp Privacy Policy: here’s what will happen if you don’t accept

WhatsApp, features, chat migration iOS to Android, WhatsApp privacy police agree

So we are six days out from the deadline of the controversial WhatsApp privacy policy. Much like my colleague said a couple of days ago, resistance is futile. You might as well hit accept or agree and move on with your life because WhatsApp is the nation’s most used messaging service and there is no mass migration on the cards.

As much as WhatsApp, through parent company Facebook, is trying to use the data on the platform to generate ads, no Zimbabwean is going to survive outside WhatsApp. This is mainly because not a lot of people use the alternatives Signal and Telegram. Furthermore, there is no bundle to cover the alternative messaging apps so… you have to bite the bullet and just accept WhatApp’s terms.

In saying that, I should also mention that WhatsApp won’t be able to read your messages. The metadata that WhatsApp is collecting (from business account interactions) is to feed the behemoth that is Facebook’s advertising enterprise. Facebook makes the bulk of its money from ad revenue, just this year alone the company’s revenue rose by 48% in Q1 2021 to US$26.17 billion backed by a 30% year-on-year increase in the average price per ad.

So, as you can imagine Facebook wants to make sure it can squeeze out as much money as it can from all its properties and WhatsApp had been a dead weight for too long.

If you don’t agree to WhatsApp’s policy you can still use the app but…

In something of a backtrack, WhatsApp has toned down the language it used when it made the announcement that you will lose access to your account if you don’t agree to the privacy policy.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is just going to make it comically hard for you to use the app. If you don’t agree to WhatsApp’s privacy policy expect the following in the first few weeks:

  • You will not be able to send statuses within the app. So all of you who like to share memes and events you are going to be at a loss here.
  • Forwarding messages is going to be impossible from one chat to another. This means you’ll have to go the long way round and copy the text and then paste it in another chat. This might not be too much of a hassle for most.
  • No more voice messages, stickers or any other type of media in chat.
  • You will not be able to create groups. To be fair there are enough of those as it is but if you still want to be part of a new group, members can still add you.
  • No chat history back up
  • You won’t be able to use click to chat.
  • Exporting chat history is off the table. So if you thought you could export and send those chats to Telegram after the 15th of May think again.
  • Lastly and hilariously you won’t be able to “@” people or quote messages in group or personal chats.

So what WhatsApp is basically saying here is that it will throw you back to what the app was like when it launched all those years ago save for being able to answer video and voice calls.

What are you going to do? Accept the terms? Delete WhatsApp and move to another app? Or are you going refuse to agree to the terms and use WhatsApp version 1.0?

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10 comments

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  1. Anonymous

    People want to use other alternatives but the biggest challeneges is that our service providers are largely to blame. People are forced to use whatsapp as it is the cheapest bundle to use

    1. Valentine Muhamba

      True that Econet, Telecel and NetOne are honestly being lazy.

  2. The Last Don

    Is there a way to retract the accept knew terms that I did? I’d rather live with the new terms spelled out here that giving wholesale surrender to Wagwaan.

    1. Valentine Muhamba

      What’s done is done…

  3. Uncle Mtha

    Can you still agree after 15 May, I’d love to experience those terms for a while 😅

    1. Valentine Muhamba

      hahahahaha! At your own risk

  4. travis mlea

    what if when you agreed those terms and conditions on their first attempt

    1. Garikai Dzoma

      You sold your soul already so no need for you to agree again. It’s easy, if you have already agreed WA is probably not prompting you to agree again. If you see a prompt it means you haven’t agreed yet

      1. Hayaaas

        My soul😂😂😂😂

  5. Hayaaas

    My soul😂😂😂😂

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