Why has WhatsApp threatened to exit India? Here's all you need to know
WhatsApp, the popular messaging service, whichover the yearshas become an integral part of everyone's phone and online presence, on Thursday (Apr 25) threatened to quit India. In a submission before the Delhi High Court, WhatsApp said that if it is compelled to break message encryption on its platform, it "goes".
IT Rules and Encryption
The submission as per reports was made as the court heard submissions moved by WhatsApp and Facebook challenging India's newly amended IT rules. They allege that the new rules violate the right to privacy and are unconstitutional.
"As a platform, we are saying, if we are told to break encryption, then WhatsApp goes," submitted WhatsApp's lawyer, as per media reports.
Previously, the Centre had told the Delhi High Court that WhatsApp and Facebook, which monetise users' information for business purposes, were not legally entitled to claim that they protect users' privacy.
However, WhatsApp contends that the rules were introduced without due consultation.
Opposing WhatsApp and Facebook's petition, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in an affidavit claimed that WhatsApp has already violated the fundamental rights of the users in India by denying them any dispute resolution rights in the country.
The ministry also contended that if the IT Rules 2021 are not implemented, law enforcement agencies would have trouble tracing the origins of fake messages. It also said that such messages may then percolate to other platforms, disturbing peace and harmony in the society and triggering public order issues.
MeitY said that itsapproach to the framing of legislation and rules is based on the principles that the Internet should be open, safe, trusted, and the platforms should be accountable to users and no one should be allowed to take away the fundamental rights of Indian citizens guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
However, WhatsApp earlier contended that "requiring messaging apps to 'trace' chats is the equivalent of asking us to keep a fingerprint of every single message sent on WhatsApp, which would break end-to-end encryption and fundamentally undermines people's right to privacy."
(With inputs from agencies)
