WhatsApp is preparing the launch of a tool for the user to download all information about him saved by the messenger. The feature is similar to that used by Facebook and Google, companies that notoriously aggregate large amounts of data about users. When it starts operating, the option should make it clearer which details about the Internet user are stored by the service.
The move is similar to that of Instagram, which also runs to adapt to the new data protection law in the European Union. The measure takes effect on May 25. The feature, which is expected to arrive in the coming weeks, was discovered through the chat app’s question center. Find out, in the following lines, how it will work.
Data extraction tool – Photo: Disclosure / WhatsApp
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Why did WhatsApp decide to change?
The messenger runs with changes that make it suitable for the GDPR – acronym for General Data Protection Regulation, or «General Data Protection Regulation». One of the novelties is the minimum age, which has gone to 16 in Europe. rest of the world. In Brazil alone, the service has more than 120 million users.
The new tool, called «Request Account Info» («Request account information», in free translation), comes to give more transparency about how personal data are used online, one of the requirements of GDPR. See below the details of the resource.
WhatsApp has more than 120 million users in Brazil, according to data released in 2017 – Photo: Anna Kellen Bull / dnetc
Who can order the file with the data?
All users. WhatsApp will release the function for all countries and systems where the messenger is available. The feature will be released in a next version of the app, scheduled for the coming weeks.
What data is delivered by WhatsApp?
The function will allow you to request and export a report of your WhatsApp account information and settings. The company cited as examples the profile photo and group names. The report will not include messages, the content of which must be retrieved via backup with Google Drive or by exporting the chat via email.
Where can I order the data file?
To view the tool, the user must access the general WhatsApp settings and enter the «Account» menu, where the option «Request account information» will appear. Then, just tap «Request report». The screen will be updated, showing the message «request sent».
WhatsApp FAQ page about new data request tool – Photo: Playback / WhatsApp
How long does it take for the file to be ready?
The report takes approximately three days to complete. While the request is pending, actions such as deleting the account, changing the phone number, changing devices or making a new registration will cancel the order. If the request is canceled, the user can request the report again. However, WhatsApp does not allow the user to cancel the information report itself.
How to download the report?
When the report is ready, the app will display a notification on your phone saying something like «Your account information report is ready for download». The feature screen will tell you how long the user should download the report before it is deleted from WhatsApp servers, which was indicated in the FAQ as «approximately a few weeks».
After this period, the user must enter the settings, access the «Account» menu, tap «Request account information» and then tap «Download the report». The file will be downloaded to the mobile phone in ZIP format, which will include an HTML file for easy viewing and a JSON for transfer to other apps.
After the file is downloaded, the user will have to tap «Export report» and then select one of the external applications that appear in the sharing tray, such as Gmail or Chrome, for example.
Do I have to pay to receive the file?
No fee is charged for receiving the file. After downloading the report, the user can permanently delete it from the smarphone, without changing any account information.
With information: Whatsapp and Indian Express
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