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Consumer Groups Back Call for FTC to Investigate WhatsApp

More than a dozen US consumer organizations have asked the Federal Trade Commission to pursue the complaint EPIC and the Center for Digital Democracy filed about WhatsApp’s plan to transfer user data to Facebook. The EPIC-CDD complaint said that the changes to WhatsApp contradict promises  to users that personal information would not be used for marketing purposes.  The FTC has said "When companies tell consumers they will safeguard their personal information, the FTC can and does take law enforcement action to make sure that companies live up these promises." The FTC responded that it would “carefully review” EPIC’s complaint. The consumer coalition letter urges the Commission to “fulfill its duty to protect consumer privacy, and to investigate and enjoin WhatsApp and Facebook’s proposed change in business practices.” 

September 22, 2016| Share: