WhatsApp begins to implement new terms

WhatsApp will force users to accept its new terms of service from today.

The update, which allows WhatsApp to collect personal data from users

Despite an angry response from users, WhatsApp has pushed ahead with the new rules. The company says the actual changes are small, and that the wave of panic from users in January was driven more by misinformation spread, ironically, on WhatsApp itself than by any reasonable concerns.

WhatsApp will continue to push notifications that offer more information about the policy update. This is already being done, but the frequency of these notifications might be upped by a notch. If, after this period, you still don't accept the update, the notification will become persistent. This will essentially prevent you from accessing your chat list. WhatsApp won't delete the account on May 15. The company has chosen to take a more gradual approach to enforce the change.

However, you'll still be able to pick up incoming calls and videos and view and reply to messages from the notification shade. After a few weeks of limited functionality, WhatsApp will simply stop sending calls or messages to your phone.

WhatsApp says it won't delete the account, but its existing policy regarding inactive users will still apply. That is, if WhatsApp isn't connected to the internet for about 120 days, your account might be deleted. However, if you don't uninstall the app and decide to accept the terms even after the 120-day window - provided you're connected to the internet - you should be able to regain access to your account.

South Africa's Information Regulator said on Thursday it was seeking legal advice to get messaging platform WhatsApp to revise its privacy policy in the country to align with standards used in the European Union (EU).

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook is banning the social network from processing personal data from WhatsApp users because it views the messaging app's new terms of use as illegal, it said on Tuesday.