WhatsApp has lost millions of users after a recent terms update.

WhatsApp messaging application users are flooding to alternative services like Signal and Telegram in their millions after it failed to properly explain an update to its terms of service. 

WhatsApp has now delayed the implementation of the new terms while it runs damage control and attempts to explain the changes to users.

Niamh Sweeney, WhatsApp’s director of public policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told a recent government committee in the UK that the update was intended to do two things: enable new features for business messaging and “make clarifications and provide greater transparency” on the company’s pre-existing policies. 

But viral posts spread on WhatsApp (ironically) claimed a new privacy policy would the service the right to read users’ messages and hand the information over to its parent company, Facebook.

“We want to be clear that the policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way,” WhatsApp said in an update posted to its site.

The company is paying to advertise on Google when people search for “WhatsApp privacy policy”. 

The implementation of the new policies have been delayed until 15 May.