Won’t compel users to opt for new privacy policy, WhatsApp tells Delhi HC

WhatsApp told the Delhi High Court on Friday that till the Data Protection Bill comes into force, it would not compel users to opt for its new privacy policy as it has been put on hold.

WhatsApp also clarified before the bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh that it would not limit the functionality for users who are not opting for the new privacy policy in the meantime.

Appearing for the instant messaging platform, Senior Advocate Harish Salve said, "We voluntarily agreed to put it (the policy) on hold... we will not compel people to accept."

Salve said that WhatsApp would nonetheless continue to display the update to its users.

The court is hearing the appeals of Facebook and its firm WhatsApp against the single-judge order refusing to stop the competition regulator CCI's order directing a probe into WhatsApp's new privacy policy.