mobilechoiceuk : Information Commissioner says WhatsApp cannot share user data with Facebook until they offer clear information to consumers

Information Commissioner says WhatsApp cannot share user data with Facebook until they offer clear information to consumers

Within days of the European Union's decision to stop WhatsApp from sharing users' personal data with Facebook for advertising purposes, the Information Commissioner in the UK has now issued a similar ban on the social networking app.Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham says Facebook and WhatsApp have been asked to sign an undertaking to inform customers clearly how their data will be used.As we all know, WhatsApp recently changed its privacy policy to share users' personal information with Facebook so that the latter can send targeted advertisements to users.

WhatsApp Facebook data: Facebook has 'paused' data sharing for WhatsApp customers in the UK

Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesFacebook's decision to change WhatsApp's privacy policy hasn't gone down well.And now the UK's data protection regulator is taking action.ADVERTISEMENTThe Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has asked Facebook and WhatsApp to better explain the changes to customers.

Facebook 'pauses' the use of data from U.K. WhatsApp users amid privacy concerns

By Queenie Wong / November 7, 2016 at 11:09 AMFacebook has agreed to stop using the data of its WhatsApp users in the United Kingdom for ad targeting and product changes after a data protection regulator raised privacy concerns about the practice.The Information Commissioner's Office said in a blog post on Monday it told Facebook-owned WhatsApp it could face "enforcement action" if it didn't do so.Facebook agreed to "pause" the use of U.K. WhatsApp user data, according to the regulator.

UK bans WhatsApp data sharing with Facebook

Facebook and WhatsApp have also come under scrutiny from the European Union's 28 data protection authorities.Britain's privacy watchdog said on November 7 that Facebook has agreed to suspend using data from UK users of its WhatsApp messaging app for advertisements or product-improvement purposes after the watchdog said consumers weren't properly protected.The watchdog said the social media giant faces action if it uses such data without valid consent.