The new privacy policy of WhatsApp was slated to come into effect in February but it has now been deferred till May.
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The Delhi High Court on January 25 said that accepting the new privacy policy of social messaging app WhatsApp was a “voluntary” thing and one can choose not to use or join that platform if one did not agree with its terms and conditions.
The Delhi HC was hearing a plea by a lawyer, challenging the new privacy policy of WhatsApp on the ground that it violates the right of privacy of individuals on January 25.
The new privacy policy of WhatsApp was slated to come into effect in February but it has now been deferred till May.
During the hearing, the court observed that Whatsapp is not mandatory to download on mobile phones.
WhatsApp had earlier in January begun asking its 2 billion users worldwide to accept an update of its privacy policy if they want to keep using the popular messaging app. The new terms caused an outcry among technology experts, privacy advocates, and users and triggered a wave of defections to rival services such as Signal.
The court also said that the mentioned terms and conditions are not just of WhatsApp, but various other mobile apps also make similar demands.
(With inputs from PTI)
