After months of negotiations with the authorities, WhatsApp has agreed to change its privacy policy in Brazil, implementing transparency standards in line with European Union regulations.
The messaging app’s commitment follows cross-government initiatives headed by the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), the Cade antitrust monitor, Senacon, and the Federal Prosecution Service. In the framework of the app’s enhanced privacy guidelines, which were adopted internationally in May, the authorities have been interacting with the platform to guarantee data protection and consumer rights are respected in Brazil.
After months of negotiations with the authorities, WhatsApp has agreed to change its privacy policy in Brazil, implementing transparency standards in line with European Union regulations.
The messaging app’s commitment follows cross-government initiatives headed by the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), the Cade antitrust monitor, Senacon, and the Federal Prosecution Service. In the framework of the app’s enhanced privacy guidelines, which were adopted internationally in May, the authorities have been interacting with the platform to guarantee data protection and consumer rights are respected in Brazil.
WhatsApp offered commitments to comply with various elements of the recommendation and ANPD’s technical note, as well as technical specifics on how the measures would be implemented, three months following the Brazilian authorities’ recommendations. The first round of negotiations, according to the data protection office, contained measures to ensure compliance with issues such as transparency and user accessibility.
Further technical examinations by the data protection authority resulted in new obligations from WhatsApp, including the revision of the Brazil-specific privacy notice. This is to reflect practices in other jurisdictions, such as the European Union, where users can opt-out of the new privacy policy under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Brazil has its own GDPR, which will go into effect in September 2021
According to the ANPD, WhatsApp will provide evidence of new changes, which are technically sophisticated, to Brazilian authorities until August 31. Following that, a conference between the corporation and the four government bodies engaged in the negotiations will be held, during which the progress made will be examined and next actions will be determined.
“The company reaffirms its commitment to working with Brazilian authorities and will continue to give the required information to both authorities and users,” it said
