Govt Directs WhatsApp To Withdraw New Privacy Policy, Calls Out 'Discriminatory Treatment To Indian Users'

In a strongly worded letter to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology called out the "discriminatory treatment to Indian users" and seeks answers to 14 questions. Read on.

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New Delhi: Popular chat platform WhatsApp, battling controversy surrounding its new privacy policy, has received a strong-worded direction from the Indian government asking it to withdraw the recent changes.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sent a letter to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart stating that India is home to the largest user base of WhatsApp globally and is one the biggest markets for its services.

In a strongly worded letter to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology emphasised that India is home to the largest user base of WhatsApp globally and is one the biggest markets for its services.

The proposed changes in Terms of Service and Privacy Policy "raise grave concerns regarding the implications for the choice and autonomy of Indian citizens," it wrote.

Stating that Indians should be properly respected, it pointed out the differential privacy policies for European Union. "This discriminatory treatment to Indian users shows lack of respect for interests of Indian citizens by WhatsApp," the letter reads.

The ministry then asked the Facebook-owned platform to withdraw the proposed changes and reconsider its approach to information privacy, freedom of choice, and data security.

The government is also reported to have sent a list of 14 questions to WhatsApp about privacy and data security. They seek answers on concerns like the exact categories of data that it collects from users in India, the permissions and user consent sought by the app, and how each of these is going to be used.

WhatsApp recently decided to postpone its new policy updates until the end of May. Through a blog, the company announced that no changes were going to happen in February and that it is giving more time for people to understand the new policy which according to it is mostly meant for businesses.  

Meanwhile, hearing the matter, Delhi High Court asked people to choose another messenger app if they don’t wish to agree to the new terms.

"It is a private app. Don't join it. It is a voluntary thing, don't accept it. Use some other app," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said to the petitioner, a lawyer, who has challenged the new privacy policy.

The court also pointed out the 'terms and conditions' that we accept for most apps and said, "you would be surprised as to what all you are consenting to".

"Even Google maps captures all your data and stores it," it added. The next hearing is slated to happen on January 25.

(With Agency Inputs)