WhatsApp fined 225M euros for breaching EU data privacy rules

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has been fined a record 225 million euros ($267 million) by Ireland’s data watchdog for breaching EU data privacy rules, Report informs referring to CNBC.

The regulator said WhatsApp failed to tell Europeans how their personal information is collected and used, as well as how WhatsApp shares data with Facebook.

It has ordered the platform, which is used by 2 billion people worldwide, to tweak its privacy policies and how it communicates with users so that it complies with Europe’s privacy law. As a result, WhatsApp may have to expand its privacy policy, which some users and companies have already criticized for being too long and complex.

“WhatsApp is committed to providing a secure and private service,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said. “We have worked to ensure the information we provide is transparent and comprehensive and will continue to do so.”

In an FAQ on its website, WhatsApp states that it shares phone numbers, transaction data, business interactions, mobile device information, IP addresses, and other information with Facebook. It says it does not share personal conversations, location data, or call logs.

The WhatsApp fine is the largest penalty that the Irish regulator has handed out for violations of Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation.