India directs WhatsApp to withdraw new privacy policy

New Delhi - The Ministry of Electronics and IT says it's irresponsible for WhatsApp to leverage its position to impose unfair terms and conditions on Indian users

The government has ordered WhatsApp to withdraw its controversial new privacy policy, saying the changes undermine the sacrosanct values of privacy, data security and harms rights and interests of Indian citizens.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT shot-off a letter to WhatsApp on Tuesday on the issue, sources said and warned that necessary steps in accordance with law will be taken if a satisfactory response was not received within seven days.

The ministry has taken a strong position on the matter, and made it clear that it is not just problematic but also “irresponsible” for the messaging platform to leverage its position to impose “unfair” terms and conditions on Indian users, when many depend on WhatsApp to communicate in everyday life, according to the sources.

In the letter, the ministry has drawn attention of WhatsApp as to how its new privacy policy is a violation of several provisions of the existing Indian laws and rules.

In fulfilment of its sovereign responsibility to protect the rights and interests of Indian citizens, the government will consider various options available to it under laws in India, the sources at the ministry said.

A raging debate had ensued after WhatsApp had said it will update its terms of service and privacy policy around how it processes user data and partners with Facebook to offer integrations across the social media giant’s products.

WhatsApp — which has 53 crore users in India as per government data — had faced severe backlash over user concerns that data was being shared with parent company Facebook.

Earlier this week, WhatsApp told the Delhi High Court that while its new privacy policy has come into effect from May 15, it would not start deleting accounts of those users who have not accepted it and would try to encourage them to get on board.

The platform had said there was no universal or uniform time limit after which it will start to delete accounts as each user would be dealt with on case-to-case basis.

WhatsApp, in the past, has said it is open to answering any questions from the government on privacy and that it will continue to explain to users that their messages are end-to-end encrypted.