Amid all the controversy round the Indian government’s ongoing tussle with Twitter, Facebook-led WhatsApp has sued the Indian government challenging the upcoming privacy policies and has stated that if these policies are implemented it might be a threat to privacy.
The leading messaging platform has moved the Delhi supreme court challenging the new and stricter IT Rules that force the social media companies to spot the “first originator of information” whenever asked for. WhatsApp says that since all the messages sent using the platform are end-to-end encrypted, tracking the origin of every message would mean that it’ll need to forced an entry the encryption of both receivers’ also because the originator, thus infringing the privacy of both the parties. Concerned about your WhatsApp privacy?
Here are the simplest alternatives Indian alternatives to WhatsApp, Twitter get going – They’re Sandes & Koo Bid to fight fake news or curb dissent? While the Indian Government calls it a crucial step in controlling and busting fake news that’s spread using social media sites and messaging platforms.
Since WhatsApp is one among the foremost used messaging platforms within the country, the federal wants to make sure that WhatsApp also implements the system to “track” the origin of each message. While understanding the Government’s point of view around safety, WhatsApp says that it’ll continue its discussions “with the govt of India on practical solutions aimed toward keeping people safe, including responding to valid legal requests for the knowledge available to us.”
WhatsApp has also said that while it’s a further task to stay a track of the origin of messages because billions of messages are exchanged over the platform a day. Furthermore, tampering with the end-to-end encryption can also make the platforms less secure making them susceptible to breaches.
There is a neighborhood of society that feels that this move by the govt is aimed toward curbing dissent against its actions especially during the present times where its Covid-19 policies are drawing tons of flak. To agree or to not agree The Indian government is looking to form the social media platforms including messaging platforms responsible for the content shared and forwarded via them.
Till now the social media platforms have termed themselves “Intermediaries” thus not accepting any responsibilities of user-generated content; however, the new policies make them responsible for criminal action if they are doing not comply.