WhatsApp told users last week that there was no need for alarm regarding an upcoming privacy policy deadline, as users who refuse to accept the privacy policy will not have their accounts deleted—they will just have their apps rendered useless, eventually incapable of receiving calls and messages.
The planned removal of core features represents a stunning reversal for a company that long ago prioritized data privacy, transforming WhatsApp’s offering into an unworkable contradiction: Private messaging only for those who surrender a separate piece of their privacy.
