WhatsApp agrees not to share UK user data with Facebook

News Broadband United Kingdom 15 MAR 2018
WhatsApp agrees not to share UK user data with Facebook

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) announced that WhatsApp has signed a public commitment not to share data with Facebook until concerns about personal data protection are addressed. 

The ICO has just completed an investigation, opened in August 2016, into whether WhatsApp could legally share user data with Facebook in the way they were considering. Facebook acquired mobile instant messaging service WhatsApp in 2014. 

The investigation found that WhatsApp could not provide a lawful basis of processing for any such data sharing, and had failed to provide users with adequate fair processing information in relation to this data sharing. WhatsApp has now signed an undertaking not to share personal data of its users with Facebook until it can do this in compliance with the new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GPPR), which comes into force in May. 

Categories:

Internet,  Mobile

Companies:

Facebook,  WhatsApp

Countries:

United Kingdom

Tags:

Data services, Messaging, Services, Market, Regulations, Consumer, Client

Related Articles

UNITED KINGDOM 22 NOV 2018

Facebook to appeal record GBP 500,000 ICO fine

Facebook has confirmed its intention to appeal the record GBP 500,000 fine imposed on the company by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, reports The Guardian.

UNITED KINGDOM 9 SEP 2018

UK bans unsolicited calls from claims companies

New powers have come into force in the UK banning cold calls offering to settle personal injury or payment protection insurance (PPI) claims. Consumers now have the choice to opt-in to receive these calls, with rogue companies making unsolicited calls facing fines of up to GBP 500,000 from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

UNITED KINGDOM 14 AUG 2018

ICO appoints Director of Technology Policy and Innovation

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has announced the appointment of Simon McDougall as Executive Director for Technology Policy and Innovation. He is currently managing director of risk management and regulatory compliance consultancy Promontory.

UNITED KINGDOM 11 JUL 2018

ICO to fine Facebook GBP 500,000 for data violations

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has confirmed its intention to fine Facebook a maximum GBP 500,000 for two breaches of the Data Protection Act. This follows an investigation into the use of data analytics in political campaigns. Facebook will have the chance to respond to the Notice of Intent, after which the ICO will make a final decision. 

UNITED KINGDOM 6 JUL 2018

ICO offers more grants for privacy, data protection research

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is inviting organisations to bid for funding from the second round of is grants programme to support research and solutions focused on privacy and data protection issues. A number of grants will be awarded for a minimum of GBP 20,000, and maximum of GBP 100,000. Applications must be submitted by Friday 17 August.

UNITED KINGDOM 6 JUN 2018

Which? study shows consumers feel powerless about data collection

A new report from UK consumer rights group Which? show that many consumers feel uneasy and powerless about the impact personal data collection has on their daily lives. The report shows that consumers are often pragmatic about the use of their personal data by digital services, especially if they see a benefit to it. However, there are still significant concerns about data use, with most people (81%) worried about their personal information being sold to third parties. 

UNITED STATES 20 MAR 2018

FTC investigating Facebook for use of personal data - report

The US Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into whether Facebook violated an agreement on privacy terms with the FTC in the way it handled the Cambridge Analytica case, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. 

GLOBAL 20 MAR 2018

Facebook faciliteert immorele activiteiten: de consument is aan zet

Het aandeel Facebook daalde 6,8 procent op nieuws over het gebruik van gebruikersgegevens door Cambridge Analytica. Op verschillende niveaus gaat het fout maar de vraag is of het illegaal is. In dit geval is Facebook onzorgvuldig geweest door een app toe te laten die niet alleen de gegevens van gebruikers verzamelde maar ook die van hun 'vrienden'. Cambridge Analytica komt over als een immorele (maar niet illegale) onderneming die presidentsverkiezingen beïnvloedt. Facebook stelt uitsluitend het illegaal op

SPAIN 15 MAR 2018

Spain watchdog fines Whatsapp, Facebook EUR 600,000 for data swap

Spain's data protection agency (AEPD) has fined Whatsapp and Facebook EUR 300,000 each for processing personal user data without consent. In its statement, the AEPD said Whatsapp shared data with Facebook without user consent while the social network processed that data for its own purposes, amounting to two serious breaches of Spanish and European data protection law.

UNITED KINGDOM 8 MAR 2018

Social media firms may have to explain how they target political ads

UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has suggested that social media companies like Facebook and Twitter could be forced to provide detailed information about how and why their users were targeted with political ads, reports The Guardian. 

ITALY 24 JAN 2018

WhatsApp fined again in Italy over contract conditions

Italy's antitrust authority AGCM has again fined WhatsApp over the unfair nature of some of its contract terms and for failing to execute some of the requirements set out in the agency's May 2017 fine. WhatsApp not only failed to publish the decision on its website and notify its users thereof, it also failed to incorporate some of its requirements, including the right to unilateral contract modifications as well as continued to exclude itself from liability with regard to unjustified interruptions of servi

GERMANY 19 DEC 2017

Facebook abuses market position with data sharing practices - German regulator

Facebook is abusing its dominant market power in Germany by illegally collecting data from users on other websites and merging it with their Facebook account, the country's Federal Cartel Office announced in a preliminary legal assessment of the social network's data sharing practices.

FRANCE 19 DEC 2017

French privacy watchdog orders WhatsApp to stop sharing user data with Facebook

French data protection agency Cnil has issued a formal notice to WhatsApp, ordering the company to stop transferring the data of its users to Facebook, which it had been found to do without their consent. The company has one month to comply with the notice. 

EUROPE 18 MAY 2017

EC fines Facebook EUR 110 mln for misleading WhatsApp info

Facebook has been fined EUR 110 million by the European Commission for providing incorrect or misleading information during the Commission's investigation of the social network's takeover of WhatsApp in 2014. The EC first announced its concerns at the end of 2016. At the time of the WhatsApp takeover, Facebook told the competition regulators that it would not be able to link WhatsApp and Facebook user accounts and data. However, in August 2016, WhatsApp announced updates to its privacy policy, including the

GERMANY 26 APR 2017

Facebook loses German appeal over WhatsApp data sharing

The Hamburg Administrative Court has upheld a ban on WhatsApp sharing data on its users with parent company Facebook without their consent. Last September the Hamburg data protection commissioner ordered Facebook not to share data from WhatsApp, such as phone numbers and associated names and messages. The order took effect immediately, and Facebook applied for an injunction suspending the order while it fought the decision in court. However, the court has now ruled that the order will remain in effect durin

Just In

19 DEC 16:42

SLT-Mobitel launches 5G network in Sri Lanka

19 DEC 16:19

Dialog Axiata launches 5G network, connects 1.5 million subscribers

19 DEC 15:56

UK govt to ban AI-enabled nudification apps to protect women, girls

19 DEC 15:42

3 UK launches last-minute Christmas sale

Commentary

13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

15:26

Stock markets breaking records but what happened to Odido's IPO plans?

Background

01:04

The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation

01:39

The week in telecom: Netflix wins bidding for Warner Bros, Apple poaches new execs, Samsung debuts trifold

13:51

Proximus vs. Telenet: Proximus performs better in Q3 while Telenet uses up cash

14:16

Proximus Domestic still struggling with low margins

Complete profile

Before downloading the whitepaper, we would like to ask you to complete your profile with company and position. After confirming you will receive the white paper.