Facebook stops collecting WhatsApp user data in Europe following regulator pressure

Facebook has stopped gathering WhatsApp user data in Europe following pressure from regulators, the Financial Times reports. The social media giant will no longer collect device information, including phone numbers, which could be used for advertizing purposes.

WhatsApp announced in August that it would begin sharing user data with its parent company and afforded its users 30 days to opt in or out of the process. The move drew criticism from authorities across Europe, and investigations into Facebook’s potential data protection violations are ongoing in the UK, Germany, France and Italy.

Facebook’s decision to halt data collection may only be a temporary measure, however, as it continues “detailed conversations with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office and other data protection officials.” Facebook said that it remained open to “working collaboratively to address their questions.”

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