WhatsApp is testing an option that allows users to download all their data from the service

WhatsApp is currently working on a new option as part of its app which allows users to download all their data from the service.[caption id="attachment_4058841" align="alignleft" width="380"] Image credit: WhatsApp[/caption]The company has started testing the option as part of version 2.18.50, its latest beta version for Android. This option will be similar to the functionality offered by Facebook where you can download all the data that Facebook holds for you.According to a report by WABetaInfo, this option is part of the ‘General data protection regulation’ (GDPR) which will affect all the companies that Facebook owns. For the uninitiated, this regulation is part of an ongoing effort to ensure that data privacy and integrity of the said data is maintained by companies.According to a detailed post by Microsoft, this regulation is essential in a world where data is increasingly essential to the competitiveness of a company or service.[caption id="attachment_4349375" align="alignnone" width="1280"] WhatsApp option to download all your data. Image: WABetaInfo[/caption]The post also clarifies that this regulation will go into effect by 25th May, 2018. This probably means that Facebook will enable the feature before that. To download the data, users will need to hit ‘Request report’, which could take as long as 20 days, and the company will delete the report from its servers in 30 days. WhatsApp will send a notification to the user after the report is ready. Once downloaded, the report will be deleted. In addition to this new option, WhatsApp has also added a transparent grey background for stickers as well as a timestamp.