The new WhatsApp privacy policy must be accepted by all users by May 15, or you will lose access to the application. When warning about the change, WhatsApp offers the option to delete the account if you disagree with the new terms. In this article, Techidence answers four questions about what happens if the user chooses to delete their account from WhatsApp.
Next, you can also check what the differences are between uninstalling, disabling, and deleting your WhatsApp account. Also, you can better understand how changes in messenger privacy policies affect users, and what information WhatsApp can share with Facebook partner companies.
What happens when you delete your WhatsApp account?
When you delete your messenger account, your entire messaging history and backups of your WhatsApp chats in the cloud will be deleted automatically. If you join groups, you will also be automatically removed from collective chats.
However, deleting your account will not delete messages that were sent to your WhatsApp contacts, so your friends will still have access to the content that was exchanged between you. Remember that the action of deleting your account cannot be undone, so it is not possible to recover a WhatsApp account that has been deleted.
Your data will be deleted from the WhatsApp servers within 90 days and after that time the messenger can still keep some of your data stored in the backup. This information, according to WhatsApp, may remain saved in case of software errors or data loss events. The messenger also states that they may keep copies of some information, especially in cases involving legal issues and violations of the terms of use.
What is the difference between disabling, uninstalling the app, and deleting the WhatsApp account?
Deactivating and uninstalling WhatsApp are very similar actions that can be reversed while deleting the messenger account is an activity that cannot be undone. The user who chooses to delete his/her account from WhatsApp should keep in mind that he/she will not be able to recover it, as well as lose access to messages and conversations that have been exchanged through the platform.
Meanwhile, when uninstalling the mobile app, the WhatsApp profile is still maintained as well as the account information – like status data, last seen, and profile photo. Also, although the app is no longer on the smartphone, WhatsApp contacts will still be able to send messages and make calls through the service. The difference is that messages will only have a gray tick instead of two gray tick – indicating that the content was just sent and not delivered – and the calls will not be completed once the app has been removed from the recipient’s phone.
The option to uninstall the app can be useful in cases where the user wants to stay away from the application for a certain period without deleting the account – as this action brings definite results. Thus, he/she will temporarily not send and receive messages and calls, but will not lose access to the account if he/she wants to use the service again. However, it is worth remembering that WhatsApp automatically deletes inactive accounts for more than 120 days.
What happens to the account if you do not accept the new terms of use by May 15?
You must accept the new WhatsApp privacy terms to continue using the messenger services. Accounts that do not accept the new policies may be suspended by the platform. WhatsApp suggests deleting the messenger account if you do not agree to the new conditions – which include sharing data with Facebook partner companies.
It is important that you evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the new WhatsApp policies. While platform integration can improve the shopping experience – according to Facebook – the company’s partner companies will be able to access a range of user data, which includes information about their personal phone number, brand, model and mobile IP number, phone company used by the user, status data such as “online” and “last seen,” messenger usage time and how they interact with other Facebook companies.
However, WhatsApp also states that interaction with business accounts is optional and that chats and calls made by the platform will continue to be protected with end-to-end encryption. The messenger states that they do not keep any kind of record about the user’s location and the contacts to which messages were sent or calls made. WhatsApp also suggests the use of temporary messages for greater privacy.
How to delete the WhatsApp account?
To permanently delete your WhatsApp account, open the application and touch the options menu located in the top right corner of the screen. Then access the app settings and touch “Account”. Then tap on “Delete my account”, enter your phone number in international format (including country code and DDD) and complete the action. Next, describe the reason you want to delete your account and tap on “Delete my account” again.
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