Gives WhatsApp seven days to answer, after which “appropriate legal procedures will be taken if no adequate response is received.”
The corporation had originally set a February 8 deadline for the policy revisions, but after reaction, it was pushed back to May 15.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has requested that WhatsApp rescind its new privacy policy, which has sparked widespread outrage since it was first announced in December last year.
According to sources, the ministry asked WhatsApp to roll back its privacy policy update in a communication sent to the Facebook-owned company on Tuesday, claiming that the manner in which the changes were introduced, including in FAQs, undermines the sacrosanct values of informational privacy, data security, and user choice for Indians and harms the rights and interests of Indian citizens.
In the Delhi High Court, where the case is pending, the government has taken the same stance. MeitY has given WhatsApp seven days to answer to its letter, and has stated that “if no appropriate response is received, required action will be taken in accordance with law.” In January, the government requested that WhatsApp rescind its updated privacy policy, claiming that the proposed modifications “create invasive and precise assumptions about users.” WhatsApp had originally set a deadline of February 8 for these modifications, but after a reaction and major privacy concerns about users’ data being shared with Facebook, it was postponed to May 15.
WhatsApp had previously stated that it will give everyone time to examine and accept the modifications to its privacy policy in an update to its frequently asked questions page. WhatsApp says that it is not undertaking any new initiatives. The messaging platform stated in an affidavit filed with the Delhi High Court on Friday that the new privacy policy would have no impact on the privacy of users’ personal messages.
Companies like Google, Microsoft, Zoom, Zomato, Republic World, Ola Cabs, True Caller, Big Basket, Koo, and public sector entities like Aarogya Setu, Bhim, Air India, Sandes, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) all have similar policies, according to legal portal LiveLaw.
“As you are undoubtedly aware, many Indian individuals rely on WhatsApp for day-to-day communication. WhatsApp’s use of its position to impose unfair terms and conditions on Indian users, particularly those that discriminate against Indian users in comparison to users in Europe, is not only troublesome, but also irresponsible, according to the ministry.
MeitY is also said to have informed WhatsApp that its privacy policy is in violation of various Indian laws and regulations.
Some aspects of the Information Technology Act, according to legal experts, allow the government to take action against WhatsApp.
