Security News > 2021 > June > WhatsApp caves in: Won't limit features if you reject privacy changes
Four months later, in early May, the company gave up on its plans to delete user accounts, saying that, starting May 15, features would be removed one by one for users who don't agree with the new policy changes.
"Given recent discussions with various authorities and privacy experts, we want to make clear that we will not limit the functionality of how WhatsApp works for those who have not yet accepted the update," the company said in a statement.
Facebook companies that could access WhatsApp users' data according to the new privacy changes include Facebook, Facebook Payments, Onavo, Facebook Technologies, and CrowdTangle.
"We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services and their offerings, including the Facebook Company Products," WhatsApp explains.
"Deleting your account is something we can't reverse as it erases your message history, removes you from all of your WhatsApp groups, and deletes your WhatsApp backups," the company says.
Although your account will not be deleted for not agreeing to share your data with Facebook companies, WhatsApp also warns that accounts get automatically deleted after 120 days of inactivity, as stated in the current inactive account deletion policy.