Security News > 2021 > March > South Africa Opposes WhatsApp-Facebook Data Sharing
South Africa's information regulator has protested WhatsApp's plans to share user data with Facebook, vowing to engage directly with the popular messaging app to ensure its compliance to national privacy laws.
In January, WhatsApp asked all its users to accept new terms allowing it to share more private information with its parent company Facebook for advertising and e-commerce purposes.
Widespread confusion about WhatsApp's future plans was compounded when it announced that European Union users would not be forced to agree to share personal information with Facebook.
The IR said it had invited Facebook to "a round-table discussion regarding the issues raised" to ensure full compliance of the new terms with South African law.
Under the new terms, merchants using WhatsApp to chat with customers will be able to share data with Facebook, allowing the social networking platform to better target its advertisements.
WhatsApp has defended the policy, claiming it is simply building new ways to chat or shop with businesses "That are entirely optional".