Oculus VR and other Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) subsidiaries like Instagram and WhatsApp are delaying a major rollout of new privacy tools after a high number of users complained. The updates affect Facebook's VR platforms and cross-account information sharing. Facebook delayed its proposed date for the privacy changes by approximately three months, with new terms and tools now scheduled to take effect on May 15th.
What happened:
- The company said, "We're now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms. No one will have their account suspended or deleted on Feb. 8."
- The company also admitted that it needs to "do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp."
- On Tuesday of last week, the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust lawsuit against Facebook's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp was moved to a Washington D.C. federal judge. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg will oversee challenges from 48 attorneys general.
- The changes had opened Facebook's app to a potential lawsuit, a nationwide investigation, and an exodus of users to ostensibly private messenger services like Signal and Telegram.