India asks WhatsApp to withdraw new privacy policy

The Facebook-owned messaging app, WhatsApp, has updated its privacy policy. It gave time to users to accept the new policy up to May 15, 2021. WhatsApp also warned that those users who do not approve of its new privacy policy would not be able to send messages and use the facility of voice or video calls in a phased manner.

But, now Indian government asked WhatsApp to withdraw its new privacy policy as it undermines the values of informational privacy and data security.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sent a notice to WhatsApp in this regard asking to withdraw its privacy policy, giving a week to respond. The IT Ministry said it would take necessary steps as per the law against WhatsApp if the platform fails to respond.

The ministry says that WhatsApp tries to impose unfair terms and conditions on Indian users. It says that the new privacy policy of WhatsApp violates many existing provisions as per Indian laws and rules.

It is the responsibility of the government to protect the rights of citizens and it will consider all available options to do the same under the law.

The changes to the privacy policy harm the rights and interests of Indian citizens. Hence, the ministry sent the notice.

The IT ministry in this letter said that the new privacy policy invades the privacy of the users as it collects and shares crucial and sensitive data. It includes time, group names, frequency and duration of interactions, payments and transaction.

This information will be shared with Facebook companies as per the new policy and users have to accept it. It poses a great threat to Indian users with an increased security risk.

This is the second time that the IT Ministry asked WhatsApp to withdraw its privacy policy. Earlier, it wrote a letter in January 2021 on the same.

The ministry has taken this issue as a discriminatory treatment to Indian WhatsApp users compared to those in Europe.

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