Skip to main content

Centre writes to WhatsApp to withdraw new privacy policy

The Indian government has asked WhatsApp to withdraw the recent changes in the privacy policy of the messaging app, saying the Facebook-owned messaging platform’s proposed changes “make invasive and precise inferences about users”. Government of India, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has written to Will Cathcart, Global CEO of WhatsApp.

In its letter, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has said the terms & conditions and the proposed privacy policy are an ‘all-or-nothing’ approach of WhatsApp that forces users to accept the new terms & conditions and privacy policies, without giving an option to the users to opt-out of this proposed change of integrating user data with other Facebook companies. 

The ministry has also sought detailed answers to a set of 14 questions. The ministry has also asked a detailed information about its data sharing protocols and business practices.

The government has asked the company to provide details of difference between WhatsApp privacy policies in other countries and in India.

Also, the government asked the company to give details of the permissions and user consent that it seeks from users, and thereafter provide utility of each of these with respect to the functioning and specific service provided.

 “Does WhatsApp conduct profiling of Indian users on the basis of their usage of application? What nature of profiling is conducted?” , the government asked.

 Also, the government wants to know whether WhatsApp captures information about other apps running on the mobile device of the user? “If yes, what information is being captured by the app and what purpose is it being collected and used?”

Ministry has further asked WhatsApp as to why they have brought about such significant changes when the Parliament of India is already considering the Personal Data Protection Bill.

This Bill, which is at an advance stage of consideration by the Joint Select Committee of both houses of the Parliament strongly follows the principle of "purpose limitation" with regard to the data processing. Purpose Limitation simply means that companies can use the data of users only for that specific purpose which it has taken the consent of the users. This wide integration of data of Indian users with other Facebook companies would make it difficult for WhatsApp to follow this principle, if this Bill becomes a law soon.

The new WhatsApp policy will allow the messaging app to share more user data with Facebook, which is its parent company, as well as help it in roll-out an e-commerce component within the app.

WhatsApp updated its terms & conditions and privacy policies earlier this month, informing users that information from their interactions with business accounts will be shared with Facebook and third parties. Users were told to either agree the policy till 8 February 2021 or discontinue using the platform.

But now WhatsApp has delayed the introduction of the new privacy policy to 15 May from 8 February after facing a backlash.

WhatsApp had earlier said that, "its proposed policy update does not affect the privacy of your messages with friends or family in any way. The changes are related to optional business features on WhatsApp, and provide further transparency about how we collect and use data".

The company further said that, “we’re also going to do a lot more to clear up the misinformation around how privacy and security works on WhatsApp. We’ll then go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on 15 May".

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

India becomes fastest country in world to complete over 6 million vaccination

 The world’s biggest inoculation drive began in India on January 16 with two indigenously-manufactured Covid-19 vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin. Even with exporting to needy nations and neighbouring regions, India managed to registered more than 1 million vaccinations within the first six days of the mega drive, becoming the fastest country to do so. Nearly 6 million (60,35,660) beneficiaries have received COVID-19 vaccine shots in merely 24 days, the Union Health Ministry said. Out of which 54,12,270 are health care workers and 6,23,390 are frontline workers (started on February 2,2021). #IndiaFightsCorona : 📍 Highlights: ☑️ As on 8th February, 2021 at 06:00 PM ➡️ Total vaccination: 60,35,660 ➡️ HCWs vaccinated: 54,12,270 ➡️ FLWs vaccinated: 6,23,390 (Started on 2nd February, 2021) : @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/FLmpV1p1lp — #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) February 8, 2021 India became the fastest country in the world to reach the 6 million COVID-19 vaccination...
Post a Comment
Read more

GST Collection At All-Time High Since Its Implementation,almost touches Rs.1.20 lakh crore in January 2021

 On the eve of Union Budget 2021, the GST revenue collected for the month of January 2021 has touched nearly Rs 1.20 lakh crore. The tax collection is higher than the December 2020 record, which witnessed an unexpected rise of 11.6 per cent. This is the highest GST revenue the government has collected since the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax regime. "The GST revenues during January 2021 are the highest since introduction of GST and has almost touched the Rs.  1.20 lakh crore mark, exceeding the last month's record collection of Rs. 1.15 lakh crore," the finance ministry said in a statement on Sunday ✅GST Revenue collection for January 2021 almost touches ₹1.20 lakh crore ✅Revenues for month of January 2021 are 8% higher than GST revenues in same month last year ✅GST revenues during January 2021 are the highest since introduction of GST Read more➡️ https://t.co/kKpPlK0i4X pic.twitter.com/TG0hQW9oGp — Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 31, 2021 The con...
Post a Comment
Read more

India Reports 2 More Fresh Cases Of New Strain Of Coronavirus, Total 116 Cases have Been Detected So Far

 The Union Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare announced on Saturday that a total of 116 persons have been detected positive with the new strain of Covid-19. The total number of persons found positive with the UK strain of COVID-19 is 116: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare — ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2021 Till January 15 , the number of people affected by this strain of coronavirus was 114. All these people were kept in single room isolation in designated healthcare facilities by respective state governments. Their close contacts have also been put in quarantine and comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimen is going on, the ministry said, adding the situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of sample to INSACOG labs, the ministry said. The presence of new UK  variant of Covid-19 has ...
Post a Comment
Read more