Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

South Africa's information regulator says WhatsApp cannot share users' contact information

Published 2021-03-03, 02:37 p/m
Updated 2021-03-03, 05:24 p/m
© Reuters. A 3D printed Whatsapp logo is placed on a computer motherboard

© Reuters. A 3D printed Whatsapp logo is placed on a computer motherboard

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) cannot share any contact information it collects from WhatsApp users in South Africa with its other properties without first obtaining authorisation from the country's Information Regulator (IR), the agency said on Wednesday.

In January, the Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp informed users it was preparing a new privacy policy, under which it could share some data, including location and phone numbers, with Facebook and its other units such as Instagram and Messenger.

The move has sparked backlash among users in South Africa and elsewhere, and prompted many to opt for rival services such as Signal or Telegram.

"WhatsApp cannot without obtaining prior authorisation from the IR process any contact information of its users for a purpose other than the one for which the number was specifically intended at collection, with the aim of linking that information jointly with information processed by other Facebook companies," the regulator said.

The regulator said its decision was in accordance with section 57 of the Protection of Personal Information Act, South Africa's data protection law.

The agency also said that it has written to Facebook South Africa and outlined its concerns about the company's privacy policy.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company is reviewing the regulator's letter, adding that the update does not expand the company's ability to share data with Facebook, nor does it impact the privacy of users' messages with friends or family.

"WhatsApp does not share your contacts with Facebook and that policy applies to users everywhere, including in South Africa," the spokesperson added.

The regulator is also "very concerned" that citizens of the European Union will receive significantly higher privacy protection than people in South Africa and Africa generally.

"Our legislation is very similar to that of the EU. It was based on that model deliberately, as it provides a significantly better model for the protection of personal information than that in other jurisdictions," Chairperson of the IR Pansy Tlakula said.

"We do not understand why Facebook has adopted this differentiation between Europe and Africa," she said.

© Reuters. A 3D printed Whatsapp logo is placed on a computer motherboard

The changes to WhatsApp's privacy policy have come under scrutiny globally, with Turkey's competition board launching an investigation and a legal challenge filed in India.

Latest comments

Awesome! Hopefully other countries stand up for the rights of their citizens too!
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.