Regulators in Germany are seeking to bar Facebook from collecting user data from its subsidiary, WhatsApp (via
Bloomberg).
The Hamburg regulator is looking to achieve an "immediately enforceable order" against Facebook by May 15, due to concerns that WhatsApp's
privacy policy changes could lead to the unlawful use of user data for marketing and advertising purposes. Data Commissioner Johannes Caspar said in a statement earlier today:
WhatsApp is now used by almost 60 million people in Germany and is by far the most widely used social media application, even ahead of Facebook. It is therefore all the more important to ensure that the high number of users, which makes the service attractive to many people, does not lead to an abusive exploitation of data power.
The privacy policy changes suggested at the time that WhatsApp would share additional data with Facebook such as phone number, service-related information, IP address, and transaction data, but WhatsApp has since made it clear that the update does not affect data sharing with Facebook in terms of user chats or profile information, with the new terms instead applying to those who use the business chat feature.
