Things haven't been looking good for WhatsApp in recent weeks, and it doesn't look like things will return to normal anytime soon Its latest crisis comes after the UK's data protection regulator told WhatsApp that it should not hand over user data to its parent company, Facebook

WhatsApp insists its controversial new privacy policy changes nothing, but that hasn't stopped people from fleeing to rival services And now, world governments are starting to take notice

WhatsApp says the new terms of service only apply to data collected when users interact with the company, and nothing else will change at all; according to WhatsApp, the changes will not take place outside the EU and the UK According to WhatsApp, the changes will not take place outside of the EU and the UK, as these regions have stricter data protection rules than the US and other parts of the world

According to UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham (via The Guardian), WhatsApp has already pledged not to share user data with Facebook until it has proven it can under GDPR regulations Despite the UK leaving the EU, this regulation still applies WhatsApp had therefore promised that nothing would change in the way it handles user data in the UK

However, it is her responsibility to ensure that WhatsApp does not break these rules, and Denham told WhatsApp to say so

This is good news for Britons, but not so good for the rest of us, as it means WhatsApp is legally obligated not to share their data with Facebook In a parliamentary committee meeting, Denham pointed out that the fact that WhatsApp "abruptly changed its contract with its users" led to concerns about the "reliability and sustainability of its promises to its users," the specifics of which were less important

In this instance, the promise is that WhatsApp will not share user data with Facebook This promise was made when the service was acquired in 2014 and quickly broken in 2016 At the time, users were able to opt out, but reports that the latest privacy policy changes were mandatory infuriated many

The UK is not the only country concerned about WhatsApp changing its privacy policy; the Indian government has already called for the privacy policy change to be withdrawn

It seems like only a matter of time before other governments, including the US, start asking questions about WhatsApp's relationship with Facebook Especially considering that the US has missed the laws and agreements that are supposed to keep European WhatsApp data away from Facebook

The new privacy policy will not take effect until May, but much of what you read online will not be true: Facebook will not be able to access your private WhatsApp messages, nor will it be able to access your contact list or other personal information It will not give Facebook access to private WhatsApp messages, nor will it give Facebook access to your contact list or other personal information As for shared data, WhatsApp claims that nothing has changed

If you still do not feel comfortable, you can use WhatsApp's alternative service However, be sure to transfer as many of your contacts as possible