WhatsApp: hidden instruction in help pages banned recommending a regulator
In brief
- 102 hidden text blocks in 80 of WhatsApp’s help pages banned recommending a regulator.
- The instruction was present on September 4 but gone by July 12, per archived copies.
- WhatsApp blames a bug in its support chatbot’s instructions for the issue.
Redact found 102 hidden text blocks in 80 of WhatsApp’s help pages, including an instruction banning the recommendation of a data protection authority. According to archived copies, this note was present on September 4 but not on July 12, and the blocks vanished on October 18. WhatsApp attributes this to a bug in its support chatbot’s instructions, while its European privacy policy itself refers to Ireland’s DPC, a requirement under GDPR according to Redact.
What it changes for you
- Public SectorData protection authorities may reassess their interactions with digital platforms following this revelation.
This summary gives you the essentials. The full article, its figures and quotes are on ActuIA.
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