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I’ll readily admit that it’s been a while since I’ve actually read a ‘terms and conditions’ notification on my phone.

A rental agreement, yes, and what’s covered on a new insurance policy, obviously, but for the most part you tick the box and move on with your life.

With WhatsApp, and the great updated privacy policy gemors, somebody was paying attention, and it wasn’t long before there were a thousand articles about how your data was being handled, and how it would be handled going forward.

It also led to a massive surge in people using Telegram, which is fine, but if you continue to use Facebook and/or Instagram you’re still handing over every detail of your life.

Following the backlash, WhatsApp confirmed that the updated privacy policy will only go into effect starting from May 15, to allow for more time to educate the public about what the update entails.

When D-Day arrives, reports Mashable, you’re either in, or you’re going to be phased out:

In an email obtained by TechCrunch, originally sent to one of WhatsApp’s merchant partners, WhatsApp stated that those who don’t accept the changes by May 15 will “not be able to read or send messages from the app,” but “for a short time, these users will be able to receive calls and notifications.”

TechCrunch notes that a “short time” will stretch across a few weeks, but that feature, too, will eventually go away. You can still accept the policy after the deadline, of course.

The email also included a link to an FAQ page created by WhatsApp, running through the aforementioned details as well as options for those who don’t want to accept the new privacy policy. Prior to May 15, you can delete your account, download a report of it, and export your chat history.

WhatsApp’s policy states that accounts are “generally deleted after 120 days of inactivity”, so bear that in mind if you choose not to accept the update come May 15.

Exporting your chat to Telegram is really pretty simple – here is an easy explainer with videos to boot.

Good luck getting all the older folk and the technologically illiterate to seamlessly switch across, though, which means that even if you make the move to Telegram, you’re likely still going to be switching between the apps.

[source:mashable]