Irish Whatsapp users will lose access to the instant messaging service unless they agree to a controversial privacy policy update.
Users are set to face weeks of "persistent" reminders before they're blocked from sending messages and making calls on the popular mobile app.
The update plans to allow businesses to easily communicate with WhatsApp users.
The update will allow users to access Facebook ads from WhatsApp - which many fear is a backdoor to data sharing between the two sites.
But there are concerns it could lead to data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook.
Although, Facebook urges users that this is not the case as WhatsApp's privacy and security will "never change."
Users have until May 15 to accept the new terms - but they won't be cut off immediately if they refuse to accept.
Adrian Weckler, the technology correspondent for the Irish Independent, explained that people will be blocked from the app on a gradual basis.
He told Newstalk: "To start with, you'll start to see messages saying that you haven't agreed and you must agree.
"Then it will cut you off from your chat list - you'll still be able to accept 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."
But experts at Facebook stated that WhatsApp accounts won't be deleted if users don't accept the update.
They said: "We're continuing to remind those who haven’t had the chance to do so to review and accept (the new terms.)
"After a period of several weeks, the reminder people receive will eventually become persistent."
The regulator suggested the new terms would mean WhatsApp would have "extensive powers to transfer data to Facebook.”
But the tech expert says end-to-end encryption will remain and Facebook or WhatsApp will not be able to see the content of messages.
One of Germany's most influential data regulators, Johannesburg Caspar, considers the update as illegal, as it breaks EU privacy law.
The past year has already seen many people switch to other messaging apps like Signal due to the changes of WhatsApp's terms of services worldwide.
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