FG to engage Facebook on WhatsApp updated privacy policy, assures Nigerians data protection
By Rasaq Adebayo
Following the introduction of an updated Privacy Policy by WhatsApp on messaging application on the platform and Facebook to their users, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has directed the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as the Regulator of the Information Technology sector, to engage vigorously with Facebook to understand the processes, level of security, etc of the data of Nigerian users in order to ensure that policies proposed for Nigeria strictly adhere to the provisions of NDPR.
The Minister, in a statement by his Technical Assistant on Information Technology, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, said his attention has been brought to the updated Privacy Policy of the WhatsApp messaging application.
According to him, the policy states that WhatsApp will share information about the users on their platform with their parent company (Facebook) as well as other Facebook companies.
“The information includes user phone numbers, “transaction data, service-related information, information on how you interact with others (including businesses) when using our Services, mobile device information, your IP address”.
“Furthermore, WhatsApp has indicated that users who refuse to accept their revised privacy policy risk not being able to use the service at all.
“The Federal Government released the Nigeria Data Protection Regulations (NDPR) in 2019 and is committed to upholding the data privacy of Nigerians. We are also aware that the European region is exempt from the provisions of the updated Policy and it is also being challenged in a number of countries,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the Minister assured Nigerians that Federal Government will give uttermost attention to the privacy of their data in line with the NDPR and the National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria.
