India’s IT Rules Undermine User Security, Reiterates WhatsApp CEO On Traceability Clause

WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart raised concerns that other countries may follow suit saying, “The more some countries see other countries do it, or push for it, the more they want to push for it, too"

New Delhi: Facebook-owned instant messaging application WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart reiterated its stand over the traceability clause in the new IT Rules 2021 saying that the end-to-end encryption undermines the security provided.

In an interview with technology publication The Verge, Cathcart explained, “With the IT rules in India, the specific thing that those rules require is that you build some system [to comply] If someone comes up to us and says, Hey, someone said the words ‘XYZ.’ Tell us who the first person is who said the words XYZ. That’s not private. And it undermines the security that end-to-end encryption provides."

Indian IT rules undermines rights to privacy: Whatsapp

WhatsApp has challenged the revised Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 saying that user privacy is in its DNA and requiring messaging apps to "trace" chats undermines people's right to privacy.

On May 26, WhatsApp filed a lawsuit against the IT rules in the Delhi High Court. As quoted by news agency IANS, a spokesperson for the world's largest messaging app said that requiring messaging apps to "trace" chats is the equivalent of asking us to keep a fingerprint of every single message sent on WhatsApp.

On asked if the move is political or not and if it's only limited to India, Cathcart said, “I think it’s a political question and a technical question. The way they wrote the rules, and what they’ve said, is that they only want it to apply to people in India. But I think there’s a broader political question.

He raised concerns that other countries may follow suit. “The more some countries see other countries do it, or push for it, the more they want to push for it, too,” he added.

 According to the Economic Times report in September, the government has stressed its position in favor of traceability and made it clear that social media platforms such as WhatsApp need to “rebuild their platforms” if law enforcement agencies need to help trace the origins of any law-making messages. 

India has said that "traceability has nothing to do with breaking end-to-end encryption." While stressing on the need of traceability, the government said it's “very much possible” to assume that there is a “complete need” for national security and law and order in the country.