The Competition and Market Authority has decided to fine WhatsApp, applying a fine of 3 million euros.
The decision came in the context of the meeting of May 11, during which the two investigations concerning alleged violations of the Consumer Code by the famous messaging app owned by Mark Zuckerberg were analyzed and closed.
According to the Authority, WhatsApp would have induced its users “ad fully accept the new Terms of Use, in particular the sharing of their data with Facebook, making them believe that it would otherwise have been impossible to continue using the application”.
In reality, things were not quite like that. Those who were already users at the date of the modification of the Terms (August 25, 2016) had, however, the possibility of "partially" accepting the contents, being able to decide not to give consent to share the information of their WhatsApp account with Facebook and continue , however, to use the app.
Not only that, WhatsApp would also applied some vexatious clauses in the "Terms of use" concerning, in detail, the right to make unilateral changes to the contract by the company, the right of withdrawal established only for the Professional, the exclusions and limitations of liability in his favor, unjustified interruptions of the service , the choice of the competent court for disputes which, to date, is established exclusively in the American Courts.
Both conducts, according to the Antitrust would represent a violation of the Consumer Code. For this reason, the authority led by Giovanni Pittruzzella has decided to fine WhatsApp 3 million euros.
