Whatapp reassured its users it has no intention to share their data with Facebook while putting them at risk.
In a statement to an Indian court, the popular messaging app hit back at claims it was endangering users privacy by sharing data with its parent company.
The company was facing a charge that the move would "severely compromise the rights of its users and make the privacy rights of users completely vulnerable".
However WhatsApp hit back, telling the Delhi High Court that, "there is no question of messages, photographs or documents getting shared with Facebook. We have no access to the content."
"Using the messaging service is a voluntary decision, we have not forced anybody to use it. Users have an option of opting out of it."
The news comes after an American privacy group filed a similar protest to the Federal Trades Commission (FTC).
This said that WhatsApp broke a promise it made to users when it was bought by Facebook back in 2014, having previously claimed it would never share user data with the social network.
WhatsApp had been hit with a major backlash after it announced a change in its terms and conditions to permit sharing user data with Facebook for advertising purposes.
"Respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA, and we built WhatsApp around the goal of knowing as little about you as possible," the app’s privacy policy read at the time.
Speaking during the acquisition, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said: "It would be pretty stupid of us to interfere."
But that appears to have changed.
The company confirmed that it would be updating its privacy policy for the first time in four years, as part of its plans to, "test ways for people to communicate with businesses in the months ahead."
Under the new changes, Facebook is able to see the phone number that people have associated with their WhatsApp account.
That allows the US social network to link and track profiles between the two services, helping Facebook gather more data for its advertisements.
WhatsApp claims the changes will make the experience better for its users.
"By coordinating more with Facebook, we'll be able to do things like track basic metrics about how often people use our services and better fight spam on WhatsApp," the company explained on its blog.
"And by connecting your phone number with Facebook's systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them.
"For example, you might see an ad from a company you already work with, rather than one from someone you've never heard of."
If you would like to opt-out and stop WhatsApp sharing your data with Facebook you should uncheck the small box above the Agree button when asked to accept the revised terms.
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