Whatsapp Privacy EU old-new

Created Diff never expires
Last modified: April 24, 2018
Last modified: January 04, 2021


WhatsApp Privacy Policy
WhatsApp Privacy Policy


If you don't live in the European Region, WhatsApp LLC provides WhatsApp to you under this Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
If you don't live in the European Region, WhatsApp LLC provides the services to you under this Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA. Since we started WhatsApp, we've aspired to build our Services with a set of strong privacy principles in mind.


# WhatsApp Legal Info
# WhatsApp Legal Info


If you live in a country in the European Economic Area (which includes the European Union), and any other included country or territory (collectively referred to as the European Region), your Services are provided by WhatsApp Ireland Limited ("WhatsApp Ireland"), which is also the data controller responsible for your information when you use our Services.
If you live in the European Region, WhatsApp Ireland Limited ("WhatsApp," "our," "we," or "us") provides our Services to you under this Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If you live outside the European Region, the services are provided to you by WhatsApp LLC.


If you live in any other country, except those in the European Region, your Services are provided by WhatsApp LLC, which is also your data controller responsible for your information when you use our Services.
We are one of the Facebook Companies. Our Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") helps explain our data practices, including the information we process to provide our Services.


We are part of the Facebook Companies. Our Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") helps explain our information (including message) practices, including the information we process to support our Services. For example, we talk about what information we collect and how this affects you. We also explain the steps we take to protect your privacy - like building WhatsApp so delivered messages aren't stored and giving you control over who you communicate with on our Services.
For example, our Privacy Policy talks about what information we collect and how this affects you. It also explains the steps we take to protect your privacy - like building our Services so delivered messages aren't stored by us and giving you control over who you communicate with on our Services.


This Privacy Policy applies to all of our Services unless specified otherwise.
This Privacy Policy applies to all of our Services unless specified otherwise.


Please also read WhatsApp's Terms of Service ("Terms"), which describes the terms under which you use our Services.
Please also read WhatsApp's Terms of Service ("Terms"), which describe the terms under which you use and we provide our Services.


# Information We Collect
# Information We Collect


WhatsApp must receive or collect some information to operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services, including when you install, access, or use our Services. The types of information we receive and collect depend on how you use our Services.
WhatsApp must receive or collect some information to operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services, including when you install, access, or use our Services. The types of information we receive and collect depend on how you use our Services.

We require certain information to deliver our Services and without this we will not be able to provide our Services to you. For example, you must provide your mobile phone number to create an account to use our Services.

Our Services have optional features which, if used by you, require us to collect additional information to provide such features. You will be notified of such collection, as appropriate. If you choose not to provide the information needed to use a feature, you will be unable to use the feature. For example, you cannot share your location with your contacts if you do not permit us to collect your location data from your device. Permissions can be managed through your Settings menu on both Android and iOS devices.


## Information You Provide
## Information You Provide


> Your Account Information.
> Your Account Information.
You provide your mobile phone number and basic information (including a profile name) to create a WhatsApp account. You provide us, all in accordance with applicable laws, the phone numbers in your mobile address book on a regular basis, including those of both the users of our Services and your other contacts. You may provide us an email address. You may also add other information to your account, such as a profile picture and about information.
You must provide your mobile phone number and basic information (including a profile name of your choice) to create a WhatsApp account. If you don’t provide us with this information, you will not be able to create an account to use our Services. You can add other information to your account, such as a profile picture, and "about" information.


> Your Messages.
> Your Messages.
We do not retain your messages in the ordinary course of providing our Services to you. Once your messages (including your chats, photos, videos, voice messages, files, and share location information) are delivered, they are deleted from our servers. Your messages are stored on your own device. If a message cannot be delivered immediately (for example, if you are offline), we may keep it on our servers for up to 30 days as we try to deliver it. If a message is still undelivered after 30 days, we delete it. To improve performance and deliver media messages more efficiently, such as when many people are sharing a popular photo or video, we may retain that content on our servers for a longer period of time. We also offer end-to-end encryption for our Services, which is on by default, when you and the people with whom you message use a version of our app released after April 2, 2016. End-to-end encryption means that your messages are encrypted to protect against us and third parties from reading them. Learn more about End-to-End Encryption and Businesses on WhatsApp.
We do not retain your messages in the ordinary course of providing our Services to you. Instead, your messages are stored on your device and not typically stored on our servers. Once your messages are delivered, they are deleted from our servers. The following scenarios describe circumstances where we may store your messages in the course of delivering them:

>> Undelivered Messages. If a message cannot be delivered immediately (for example, if the recipient is offline), we keep it in encrypted form on our servers for up to 30 days as we try to deliver it. If a message is still undelivered after 30 days, we delete it.

>> Media Forwarding. When a user forwards media within a message, we store that media temporarily in encrypted form on our servers to aid in more efficient delivery of additional forwards.

We offer end-to-end encryption for our Services. End-to-end encryption means that your messages are encrypted to protect against us and third parties from reading them. Learn more about end-to-end encryption and how businesses communicate with you on WhatsApp.


> Your Connections.
> Your Connections.
To help you organize how you communicate with others, we may help you identify your contacts who also use WhatsApp, and you can create, join, or get added to groups and broadcast lists, and such groups and lists get associated with your account information. You give your groups a name. You may choose to provide a group profile picture or description.
You can use the contact upload feature and provide us, if permitted by applicable laws, with the phone numbers in your address book on a regular basis, including those of users of our Services and your other contacts. If any of your contacts aren’t yet using our Services, we’ll manage this information for you in a way that ensures those contacts cannot be identified by us. Learn more about our contact upload feature here. You can create, join, or get added to groups and broadcast lists, and such groups and lists get associated with your account information. You give your groups a name. You can provide a group profile picture or description.

> Status Information.
You may provide us your status if you choose to include one on your account. Learn how to use status on Android, iPhone, or KaiOS.


> Transactions And Payments Data.
> Transactions And Payments Data.
If you use our payment services available in your country, we process purchase and transaction information as described in the applicable Payments Privacy Policy.
If you use our payments services, or use our Services meant for purchases or other financial transactions, we process additional information about you, including payment account and transaction information. Payment account and transaction information includes information needed to complete the transaction (for example, information about your payment method, shipping details and transaction amount). If you use our payments services available in your country or territory, our privacy practices are described in the applicable payments privacy policy.


> Customer Support And Other Communications.
> Customer Support And Other Communications.
You may provide us with information related to your use of our Services, including copies of your messages, and how to contact you so we can provide you customer support. For example, you may send us an email with information relating to our app performance or other issues.
When you contact us for customer support or otherwise communicate with us, you may provide us with information related to your use of our Services, including copies of your messages, any other information you deem helpful, and how to contact you (e.g., an email address). For example, you may send us an email with information relating to our app performance or other issues.


## Automatically Collected Information
## Automatically Collected Information


> Usage And Log Information.
> Usage And Log Information.
We collect information about your activity on our Services, like service-related, diagnostic, and performance information. This includes information about your activity (including how you use our Services, your Services settings, how you interact with others using our Services, and the time, frequency, and duration of your activities and interactions), log files, and diagnostic, crash, website, and performance logs and reports. This also includes information about when you registered to use our Services, the features you use like our messaging, calling, Status, or groups features, profile photo, about information, whether you are online, when you last used our Services (your "last seen"), and when you last updated your about information.
We collect information about your activity on our Services, like service-related, diagnostic, and performance information. This includes information about your activity (including how you use our Services, your Services settings, how you interact with others using our Services (including when you interact with a business), and the time, frequency, and duration of your activities and interactions), log files, and diagnostic, crash, website, and performance logs and reports. This also includes information about when you registered to use our Services; the features you use like our messaging, calling, Status, groups (including group name, group picture, group description), payments or business features; profile photo; "about" information; whether you are online; when you last used our Services (your "last seen"); and when you last updated your "about" information.


> Device And Connection Information.
> Device And Connection Information.
We collect device and connection-specific information when you install, access, or use our Services. This includes information like hardware model, operating system information, battery level, signal strength, app version, browser information, and mobile network, connection information including phone number, mobile operator or ISP, language and time zone, and IP, device operations information, and identifiers like device identifiers (including identifiers unique to Facebook Company Products associated with the same device or account).
We collect device and connection-specific information when you install, access, or use our Services. This includes information such as hardware model, operating system information, battery level, signal strength, app version, browser information, mobile network, connection information including phone number, mobile operator or ISP, language and time zone, IP address, device operations information, and identifiers (including identifiers unique to Facebook Company Products associated with the same device or account).


> Location Information.
> Location Information.
We collect device location information if you use our location features, like when you choose to share your location with your contacts, view locations nearby or those others have shared with you, and the like, and for diagnostics and troubleshooting purposes such as if you are having trouble with our app's location features. We use various technologies to determine location, including IP, GPS, Bluetooth signals, and information about nearby Wi-Fi access points, beacons, and cell towers.
We collect and use precise location information from your device with your permission when you choose to use location-related features, like when you decide to share your location with your contacts or view locations nearby or locations others have shared with you. There are certain settings relating to location-related information which you can find in your device settings or the in-app settings, such as Location sharing. Even if you do not use our location-related features, we use IP addresses and other information, like phone number area codes, to estim******ate your general location (e.g., city and country). We also use your location information for diagnostics and troubleshooting purposes.


> Cookies.
> Cookies.
We use cookies to operate and provide our Services, including to provide our Services that are web-based, improve your experiences, understand how our Services are being used, and customize our Services. For example, we use cookies to provide WhatsApp for web and desktop and other web-based services. We may also use cookies to understand which of our FAQs are most popular and to show you relevant content related to our Services. Additionally, we may use cookies to remember your choices, like your language preferences, to provide a safer experience, and otherwise to customize our Services for you. Learn more about how we use cookies to provide you our Services.
We use cookies to operate and provide our Services, including to provide our Services that are web-based, improve your experiences, understand how our Services are being used, and customise them. For example, we use cookies to provide our Services for web and desktop and other web-based services. We may also use cookies to understand which of our Help Center articles are most popular and to show you relevant content related to our Services. Additionally, we may use cookies to remember your choices, like your language preferences, to provide a safer experience, and otherwise to customise our Services for you. Learn more about how we use cookies to provide you our Services.


## Third-Party Information
## Third-Party Information


> Information Others Provide About You.
> Information Others Provide About You.
We receive information about you from other users and businesses. For example, when other users or businesses you know use our Services, they may provide your phone number, name, and other information (like information from their mobile address book or in the case of businesses, additional information about you such as unique identifiers), just as you may provide theirs, or they may send you a message, send messages to groups to which you belong, or call you. We require each of these users and businesses to have lawful rights to collect, use, and share your information before providing any information to us.
We receive information about you from other users. For example, when other users you know use our Services, they may provide your phone number, name, and other information (like information from their mobile address book) just as you may provide theirs. They may also send you messages, send messages to groups to which you belong, or call you. We require each of these users to have lawful rights to collect, use, and share your information before providing any information to us.

You should keep in mind that in general any user can capture screenshots of your chats or messages or make recordings of your calls with them, and send them to WhatsApp or anyone else, or post them on another platform.

> User Reports.
Just as you can report other users, other users or third parties may also choose to report to us your interactions and your messages with them or others on our Services; for example, to report possible violations of our Terms or policies. When a report is made, we collect information on both the reporting user and reported user. To find out more about what happens when a user report is made, please see "Advanced Safety and Security Features" here.


> Businesses On WhatsApp.
> Businesses On WhatsApp.
Businesses you interact with using WhatsApp provide us information about their interactions with you. A business on WhatsApp may also use another company to assist it in storing, reading, and responding to your messages on behalf of and in support of that business. Please note that when businesses use third-party services, their own terms and privacy policies will govern your use of those services and their use of your information on those services.
Businesses you interact with using our Services may provide us with information about their interactions with you. We require each of these businesses to act in accordance with applicable law when providing any information to us. When you message with a business on WhatsApp, it’s important to keep in mind that the content you share may be visible to several people in that business. In addition, some businesses might be working with third-party service providers (which may include Facebook) to help manage their communications with their customers. For example, a business may give such third-party service provider access to its communications to send, store, read, manage or otherwise process them for the business.

To understand how a business processes your information, including how it might share your information with third parties or Facebook, you should review that business’ privacy policy or contact the business directly.


> Third-Party Service Providers.
> Third-Party Service Providers.
We work with third-party service providers and the Facebook Companies to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services. For example, we work with companies to distribute our apps, provide our infrastructure, delivery, and other systems, supply location, map, and places information, process payments, help us understand how people use our Services, market our Services, help you connect with businesses using our Services, conduct surveys and research for us, and help with customer service. These companies may provide us information about you in certain circumstances; for example, app stores may provide us reports to help us diagnose and fix service issues.
We work with third-party service providers and other Facebook Companies to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services. For example, we work with them to distribute our apps; provide our technical and physical infrastructure, delivery, and other systems; provide engineering support, cybersecurity support, and operational support; supply location, map, and places information; process payments; help us understand how people use our Services; market our Services; help you connect with businesses using our Services; conduct surveys and research for us; ensure safety, security and integrity; and help with customer service. These companies may provide us with information about you in certain circumstances; for example, app stores may provide us with reports to help us diagnose and fix service issues.

The "How We Work With Other Facebook Companies" section below provides more information about how WhatsApp collects and shares information with the other Facebook Companies. You can also learn more in our Help Center how we work with the Facebook Companies.


> Third-Party Services.
> Third-Party Services.
We allow you to use our Services in connection with third-party services and Facebook Company Products. If you use our Services with such third-party services or Facebook Company Products, we may receive information about you from them; for example, if you use the WhatsApp share button on a news service to share a news article with your WhatsApp contacts, groups, or broadcast lists on our Services, or if you choose to access our Services through a mobile carrier's or device provider's promotion of our Services. Please note that when you use third-party services or Facebook Company Products, their own terms and privacy policies will govern those services.
We allow you to use our Services in connection with third-party services and Facebook Company Products. If you use our Services with such third-party services or Facebook Company Products, we may receive information about you from them; for example, if you use the WhatsApp share button on a news service to share a news article with your WhatsApp contacts, groups, or broadcast lists on our Services, or if you choose to access our Services through a mobile carrier's or device provider's promotion of our Services. Please note that when you use third-party services or Facebook Company Products, their own terms and privacy policies will govern your use of those services and products.


# How We Use Information
# How We Use Information


We use the information we have (subject to choices you make) to operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services. Here's how:
We use information we have (subject to choices you make and applicable law) to operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services. Here's how:


> Our Services.
> Our Services.
We use the information we have to operate and provide our Services, including providing customer support, and improving, fixing, and customizing our Services. We understand how people use our Services and analyze and use the information we have to evaluate and improve our Services, research, develop, and test new services and features, and conduct troubleshooting activities. We also use your information to respond to you when you contact us.
We use information we have to operate and provide our Services, including providing customer support, completing purchases or transactions; and improving, fixing, and customising our Services. We also use information we have to understand how people use our Services; evaluate and improve our Services; research, develop, and test new services and features; and conduct troubleshooting activities. We also use your information to respond to you when you contact us.


> Safety, Security, And Integrity.
> Safety, Security, And Integrity.
We verify accounts and activity, and promote safety and security on and off our Services, such as by investigating suspicious activity or violations of our Terms, and to ensure our Services are being used legally.
Safety, security and integrity are an integral part of our Services. We use information we have to verify accounts and activity; combat harmful conduct, protect users against bad experiences and spam; and promote safety, security and integrity on and off our Services, such as by investigating suspicious activity or violations of our Terms and policies, and to ensure our Services are being used legally. Please see the "Law, Our Rights And Protection" section below for more information.


> Communications About Our Services And The Facebook Companies.
> Communications About Our Services And The Facebook Companies.
We use the information we have to communicate with you about our Services and features and let you know about our terms and policies and other important updates. We may provide you marketing for our Services and those of the Facebook Companies. Please see How You Exercise Your Rights for more information.
We use information we have to communicate with you about our Services and let you know about our terms and policies and other important updates. We may provide you marketing for our Services and those of the Facebook Companies. Please see "How You Exercise Your Rights" section for more information.


> No Third-Party Banner Ads.
> No Third-Party Banner Ads.
We still do not allow third-party banner ads on WhatsApp. We have no intention to introduce them, but if we ever do, we will update this policy.
We still do not allow third-party banner ads on our Services. We have no intention to introduce them, but if we ever do, we will update this Privacy Policy.


> Business Interactions.
> Business Interactions.
We will allow you and third parties, like businesses, to communicate with each other using WhatsApp, such as through order, transaction, and appointment information, delivery and shipping notifications, product and service updates, and marketing. For example, you may receive flight status information for upcoming travel, a receipt for something you purchased, or a notification when a delivery will be made. Messages you may receive containing marketing could include an offer for something that might interest you. We do not want you to have a spammy experience; as with all of your messages, you can manage these communications, and we will honor the choices you make.
We enable you and third parties, like businesses, to communicate and interact with each other using our services such as Catalogs for businesses on WhatsApp where you can browse products and services and place orders. Businesses may send you transaction, appointment, and shipping notifications; product and service updates; and marketing. For example, you may receive flight status information for upcoming travel, a receipt for something you purchased, or a notification when a delivery will be made. Messages you receive from a business could include an offer for something that might interest you. We do not want you to have a spammy experience; as with all of your messages, you can manage these communications, and we will honor the choices you make.


> Measurement, Analytics, And Other Business Services.
> Messaging Metadata.
We help businesses who use WhatsApp measure the effectiveness and distribution of their services and messages, and understand how people interact with them on our Services.
Messaging Metadata consists of information that we process to convey your messages or calls and it includes information such as your user ID and the time you send a message. We use Messaging Metadata to transmit the communication, to operate our Services (including general traffic management and the prevention, detection, investigation and remediation of failures), to ensure the safety and security of our Services (which includes their availability, authenticity, integrity and confidentiality, and in particular the prevention, detection, investigation and remediation of security incidents, spam, vulnerabilities, malware, and unauthorised use or access to the Services), for billing (where applicable), and to comply with legal obligations under applicable law.


# Information You And We Share
# Information You And We Share


You share your information as you use and communicate through our Services, and we share your information to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services.
You share your information as you use and communicate through our Services, and we share your information to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services.


> Send Your Information To Those With Whom You Choose To Communicate.
> Send Your Information To Those With Whom You Choose To Communicate.
You share your information (including messages) as you use and communicate through our Services.
You share your information (including messages) as you use and communicate through our Services.


> Information Associated With Your Account.
> Information Associated With Your Account.
Your phone number, profile information, about information, last seen information, and receipts may be available to anyone who uses our Services, although you can configure your Services settings to manage certain information available to other users and businesses with whom you communicate.
Your phone number, profile name and photo, "about" information, last seen information, and message receipts are available to anyone who uses our Services, although you can configure your Services settings to manage certain information available to other users, including businesses, with whom you communicate.


> Your Contacts And Others.
> Your Contacts And Others.
Users and businesses with whom you communicate may store or reshare your information (including your phone number or messages) with others on and off our Services. You can use your Services settings and the block feature in our Services to manage the users of our Services with whom you communicate and certain information you share.
Users, including businesses, with whom you communicate can store or reshare your information (including your phone number or messages) with others on and off our Services. You can use your Services settings and the "block" feature in our Services to manage who you communicate with on our Services and certain information you share.


> Businesses On WhatsApp.
> Businesses On WhatsApp.
We help businesses who use WhatsApp measure the effectiveness and distribution of their services and messages, and understand how people interact with them on our Services.
We offer specific services and features to businesses such as providing them with metrics regarding their use of our services.


> Third-Party Service Providers.
> Third-Party Service Providers.
We work with third-party service providers and the Facebook Companies to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our > Services. When we share information with third-party service providers and the Facebook Companies in this capacity, we require them to use your information on our behalf in accordance with our instructions and terms.
We work with third-party service providers and other Facebook Companies to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services. We work with these companies to support our Services, such as to provide technical infrastructure, delivery and other systems; market our Services; conduct surveys and research for us; protect the safety, security and integrity of users and others; and assist with customer service. When we share information with third-party service providers and other Facebook Companies in this capacity, we require them to use your information on our behalf in accordance with our instructions and terms. For further information on how the Facebook Companies help us to operate and provide our Services, see "How We Work With Other Facebook Companies" below. You can also learn more in our Help Center on how we work with the Facebook Companies.


> Third-Party Services.
> Third-Party Services.
When you use third-party services or Facebook Company Products that are integrated with our Services, they may receive information about what you share with them. For example, if you use a data backup service integrated with our Services (like iCloud or Google Drive), they will receive information you share with them. If you interact with a third-party service linked through our Services, you may be providing information directly to such third party. Please note that when you use third-party services or Facebook Company Products, their own terms and privacy policies will govern your use of those services.
When you or others use third-party services or other Facebook Company Products that are integrated with our Services, those third-party services may receive information about what you or others share with them. For example, if you use a data backup service integrated with our Services (like iCloud or Google Drive), they will receive information you share with them, such as your WhatsApp messages. If you interact with a third-party service or another Facebook Company Product linked through our Services, such as when you use the in-app player to play content from a third-party platform, information about you, like your IP address and the fact that you are a WhatsApp user, may be provided to such third-party or Facebook Company Product. Please note that when you use third-party services or other Facebook Company Products, their own terms and privacy policies will govern your use of those services and products.


# How We Work With Other Facebook Companies
# How We Work With Other Facebook Companies


We are part of the Facebook Companies. As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, the Facebook Companies. We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customize, support, and market our Services and their offerings. This includes helping improve infrastructure and delivery systems, understanding how our Services or theirs are used, helping us provide a way for you to connect with businesses, and securing systems. We also share information to fight spam, threats, abuse, or infringement activities and promote safety and security across the Facebook Company Products. However, your WhatsApp messages will not be shared onto Facebook for others to see. In fact, Facebook will not use your WhatsApp messages for any purpose other than to assist us in operating and providing our Services.
As part of the Facebook Companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, the other Facebook Companies to promote safety, security and integrity across the Facebook Company Products, e.g., to fight spam, threats, abuse, or infringement activities.


Learn More about how WhatsApp works with the Facebook Companies.
WhatsApp also works, and shares information with the other Facebook Companies who act on our behalf to help us operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our Services. This includes the provision of infrastructure, technology, and systems, e.g. for providing you with fast and reliable messaging and calls around the world; improving infrastructure and delivery systems; understanding how our Services are used; helping us provide a way for you to connect with businesses; and securing systems. When we receive services from the Facebook Companies, the information we share with them is used on WhatsApp’s behalf and in accordance with our instructions. Any information WhatsApp shares on this basis cannot be used for the Facebook Companies’ own purposes. We’ve set out further information in our Help Center about how WhatsApp works with the Facebook Companies.

# Assignment, Change Of Control, And Transfer

All of our rights and obligations under our Privacy Policy are freely assignable by us to any of our affiliates, in connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets, or by operation of law or otherwise, and we may transfer your information to any of our affiliates, successor entities, or new owner.


# Our Legal Basis For Processing Data
# Our Legal Basis For Processing Data


We collect, use, and share the information we have as described above:
Under applicable data protection law, companies must have a legal basis to process data. We rely on different legal bases to process your data for the various purposes described in this Privacy Policy. As explained below, depending on the circumstances, we may rely on different legal bases when processing your data for the same purpose. For each legal basis below, we describe the purposes of our processing (why we process your information) and our processing operations (how we process your data, e.g., we collect information from you and use it to create your account). We also list the categories of your data that we process for each purpose. You also have particular rights available to you depending on which legal basis we use, and we've explained these below. You should know that no matter what legal basis applies, you always have the right to request access to, rectification of, and erasure of your data. To exercise your rights, see the "How You Exercise Your Rights" section below. We collect, use, and share the information described in the "Information We Collect" section:

- as necessary to fulfill our Terms;

- consistent with your consent, which you can revoke at any time;

- as necessary to comply with our legal obligations;

- occasionally to protect your vital interests, or those of others;

- as necessary in the public interest; and

- as necessary for our (or others') legitimate interests, including our interests in providing an innovative, relevant, safe, and profitable service to our users and partners, unless those interests are overridden by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms that require protection of personal data.

# How We Process Your Information

Under European law, companies must have a legal basis to process data. You have particular rights available to you depending on which legal basis we use, and we've explained these below. You should know that no matter what legal basis applies, you always have the right to request access to, rectification of, and erasure of your data under the General Data Protection Regulation (the "GDPR"). To exercise your rights, see our Privacy Policy under How You Exercise Your Rights.

For all people who have legal capacity to enter into an enforceable contract, we process data as necessary to perform our contracts with you (the Terms of Service, the "Terms"). We describe the contractual services for which this data processing is necessary in Our Services section of the Terms and in the additional informational resources accessible from our Terms. The core data uses necessary to provide our contractual services are:
- To provide, improve, customize, and support our Services as described in "Our Services";
- To promote safety and security;
- To transfer, transmit, store, or process your data outside the EEA, including to within the United States and other countries; and
- To communicate with you, for example, on Service-related issues.

These uses are explained in more detail in our Privacy Policy, under How We Use Information and Our Global Operations. We'll use the data we have to provide these services; if you choose not to provide certain data, the quality of your experience using WhatsApp may be impacted.

When we process data you provide to us as necessary to perform our contracts with you, you have the right to port it under the GDPR. To exercise your rights, visit How You Exercise Your Rights section of the Privacy Policy.

The other legal bases we rely on in certain instances when processing your data are:

## Your Consent

> For collecting and using information you allow us to receive through the device-based settings when you enable them (such as access to your GPS location, camera, or photos), so we can provide the features and services described when you enable the settings.

When we process data you provide to us based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time and to port that data you provide to us, under the GDPR. To exercise your rights, visit your device-based settings, your in app-based settings like your in-app location control, and the How You Exercise Your Rights section of the Privacy Policy.

## Compliance With A Legal Obligation

> For processing data when the law requires it, including, for example, if there is a valid legal request for certain data. See our Privacy Policy under Law and Protection for more information.

## Protection Of Your Vital Interests Or Those Of Another Person

> The vital interests we rely on for this processing include protection of your life or physical integrity or that of others, and we rely on it to combat harmful conduct and promote safety and security, for example, when we are investigating reports of harmful conduct or when someone needs help.


## Legitimate Interests
- as necessary to operate and provide the messaging and communication services, described in the "Our Services" section of our Terms. Learn more here;


> For providing measurement, analytics, and other business services where we are processing data as a controller.
- where applicable (including where consent is legally required), if you have given your consent, which you can revoke at any time. Learn more here;


>> Legitimate Interests Relied On:
- as necessary to comply with legal obligations such as when we are required to respond to a legal request from law enforcement. Learn more here;
- To provide accurate and reliable reporting to businesses and other partners, to ensure accurate pricing and statistics on performance, and to demonstrate the value our partners realise using our Services; and
- In the interests of businesses and other partners to help them understand their customers and improve their businesses, validate our pricing models, and evaluate the effectiveness and distribution of their services and messages, and understand how people interact with them on our Services.


> For providing marketing communications to you.
- when and as necessary, to protect your vital interests, or those of others such as in the event of an emergency where there is a threat to your life or someone else’s. Learn more here;


>> Legitimate Interests Relied On:
- as necessary for our (or others') legitimate interests, including our interests in providing an innovative, relevant, safe, and profitable service to our users and partners, unless those interests are overridden by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms that require protection of personal data; for example, to prevent our Services being used for harmful or illegal activity. Learn more here;
- To promote Facebook Company Products and issue direct marketing.


> To share information with others including law enforcement and to respond to legal requests.
- where it is necessary in the public interest. Learn more here.
See our Privacy Policy under Law and Protection for more information.


>> Legitimate Interests Relied On:
You can learn more here about the ways and purposes for which we process your data and our legal bases for doing so.
- To prevent and address fraud, unauthorised use of the Facebook Company Products, violations of our terms and policies, or other harmful or illegal activity; to protect ourselves (including our rights, property or Products), our users or others, including as part of investigations or regulatory inquiries; or to prevent death or imminent bodily harm.


> To share information with the Facebook Companies to promote safety and security and integrity.
# How We Process Your Information
See our Privacy Policy under "How We Work with Other Facebook Companies" for more information.


>> Legitimate Interests Relied On:
## Provision Of The Services In Accordance With The Terms
- To secure systems and fight spam, threats, abuse, or infringement activities and promote safety and security across the Facebook Company Products.

You have the right to object to, and seek restriction of, such processing; to exercise your rights, visit How You Exercise Your Rights section of the Privacy Policy.


We will consider several factors when assessing an objection including: our users' reasonable expectations; the benefits and risks to you, us, other users, or third parties; and other available means to achieve the same purpose that may be less invasive and do not require disproportional effort. Your objection will be upheld, and we will cease processing your information, unless the processing is based on compelling legitimate grounds or is needed for legal reasons.
We process the data we have about you (as described in the "Information We Collect" section) as necessary to perform our contract with you (the Terms). The categories of data we process will depend on the data you choose to provide and the manner in which you use our Services (which determines the information we collect automatically). The processing purposes necessary to provide our contractual services are:


If you are under the age of majority in your country and have a limited ability to enter an enforceable contract, we will take particular account of the fact that you are below the age of majority and adjust our assessment of our legitimate interests and the balancing of your interests and rights accordingly.
> To operate, provide, improve, customise, and support our Services as described in the "Our Services" section of our Terms which includes providing ways for you to connect and communicate with other WhatsApp users including businesses. This includes collecting information from you to create a WhatsApp account, connecting you with businesses reachable via WhatsApp, analysing your use of our Services, providing customer support in response to an issue or deleting your data if you choose to close your account.
We use Messaging Metadata for the transmission of the communication; the operation of the Services, including general traffic management and the prevention, detection, investigation and remediation of failures; and for billing, where applicable.
>> Data Categories Used: We use information described in the "Information You Provide," "Automatically Collected Information," and "Third-Party Information" sections of this Privacy Policy for this purpose.


## Tasks Carried Out In The Public Interest
> To ensure the safety, security, and integrity of our Services by taking action for example on spammers using multiple accounts. This could involve verifying the data you have provided when you created an account or analysing suspicious activity in connection with your account

> For undertaking research and to promote safety and security, as described in more detail in our Privacy Policy under How We Use Information, where this is necessary in the public interest as laid down by European Union law or Member State law to which we are subject.

When we process your data as necessary for a task carried out in the public interest, you have the right to object to, and seek restriction of, our processing. To exercise your rights, go to How You Exercise Your Rights section of the Privacy Policy. In evaluating an objection, we'll evaluate several factors, including: reasonable user expectations; the benefits and risks to you and third parties; and other available means to achieve the same purpose that may be less invasive and do not require disproportional effort.

Your objection will be upheld, and we will cease processing your information, unless the processing is based on compelling legitimate grounds or is needed for legal reasons.

# How You Exercise Your Rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation or other applicable local laws, you have the right to access, rectify, port, and erase your information, as well as the right to restrict and object to certain processing of your information. This includes the right to object to our processing of your information for direct marketing and the right to object to our processing of your information where we are performing a task in the public interest or pursuing our legitimate interests or those of a third party. You can access or port your information using our in-app Request Account Info feature (available under Settings > Account). You can access tools to rectify, update, and erase your information directly in-app as described in the Managing and Deleting Your Information section. If we process your information based on our legitimate interests or those of a third party, or in the public interest, you can object to this pr