Is WhatsApp's Terms of Service safe?

Top concerning points

1. 1.

   They store data on you even if you did not interact with the service

   blocker

   High

   Some services store data on you even if you did not provide that data yourself. For example, users might provide access to their address book, after which a service might also store the phone numbers of that person's contacts.

2. 2.

   Private messages can be read by third parties

   blocker

   High

   The Service is able to access, scan, review or read all user communications, including private messages, which may contain personal or sensitive data.

3. 3.

   Any liability on behalf of the service is only limited to the fees you paid as a user

   bad

   High

   Generated through the annotate view

   Source quote / document
4. 4.

   The service can delete your account without prior notice and without a reason

   bad

   High

   At any time, your account can be terminated without explanation and without warning by the service.

   Source quote / document
5. 5.

   The service is only available in some countries approved by its government

   bad

   High

   Countries under embargo or banned by the government of the country in question cannot use the service.

6. 6.

   If you offer suggestions to the service, they become the owner of the ideas that you give them

   bad

   High

   The service can claim ownership on feedback, proposals, ideas and suggestions submitted by the users, who may waive their "moral rights" on that feedback.

7. 7.

   You are forced into binding arbitration in case of disputes

   bad

   High

   This service forces users to use their own contracted arbitrator and forces users to waive their rights to jury trial.

8. 8.

   You waive your right to a class action.

   bad

   High

   The right to be represented in a class action (or representative action) exists in the US and some European countries. It allows people who have been similarly injured by the same accused to take legal action by a single lawsuit instead of individually. Some Terms of Service try to limit that right. By agreeing to them, you could waive (= renounce to) your right to a class action, which might reduce your chances to be successful in a case.

Frequently asked questions

What is WhatsApp's ToS;DR privacy grade?

ToS;DR rates WhatsApp as Grade E. Grades range from A (best) to E (worst). See the full breakdown on ToS;DR.

Is WhatsApp's Terms of Service safe?

ToS;DR's Grade E means the terms raise serious concerns. Read the blocker and bad points carefully before accepting.

What is a top concern in WhatsApp's terms?

They store data on you even if you did not interact with the service — Some services store data on you even if you did not provide that data yourself. For example, users might provide access to their address book, after which a service might also store the phone numbers of that person's contacts. (Source: ToS;DR approved point).

Where can I read WhatsApp's official terms?

ToS;DR tracks "Terms of Service" at https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/terms-of-service. Always prefer the official document over summaries.