Irish Whatsapp users will be cut off from the instant messaging service, unless they agree to a controversial privacy policy update.
The update will allow users to access Facebook ads from WhatsApp - which many fear is a backdoor to data sharing between the two sites.
One of Germany's most influential data regulators, Johannesburg Caspar, considers the update as illegal, as it breaks EU privacy law.
Technology Correspondent for the Irish Independent Adrian Weckler says people will be blocked from the app on a phased basis.
"[If you don't accept the terms] you'll start to see messages saying you haven't agreed and you must agree," he said.
"Then it'll cut you off from your chat list but you'll still be able to receive messages and take calls."
After a few weeks he warns users will be "cut off from functionality altogether".
"A permanent pop up that will say 'You must accept' will appear on your WhatsApp display and you can't use the app anymore."
The tech expert says end-to-end encryption will remain and Facebook or WhatsApp will not be able to see the content of messages.
