EU: BEUC files compliant against Whatsapp for breaches of EU consumer rights

The European Consumer Organisation (‘BEUC’) and eight of its members announced, on 12 July 2021, that they had filed a complaint against WhatsApp LLC for breaches of EU consumer rights stemming from its updated terms of use and privacy policy. In particular, the BEUC alleged that the content, nature, timing, and recurrence of the notifications sent to users in relation to the policy updates put undue pressure on users and compromised their freedom of choice, in breach of the Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices (Directive (EU) 2005/29/EC). Furthermore, the BEUC claimed that the language used in the updated terms of use makes it impossible for consumers to get a clear understanding of the consequences of the changes being made, particularly in relation to the transfer of personal data to Facebook Inc., and other third parties.

You can read the press release here.