![]() "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," WhatsApp said in a statement when asked to comment on the lawsuit. WhatsApp says that because messages are encrypted end-to-end it would have to break encryption for receivers of messages as well as the originators to comply with the new law. While the new law only requires WhatsApp, which has half a billion users in India, to unmask people credibly accused of wrongdoing, it says it cannot in practice do that alone. New Delhi has also pressed tech companies to remove what it has described as misinformation on the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging India, and some criticism of the government's response to the crisis, which is claiming thousands of lives daily. The micro-blogging service had labelled posts by a spokesman for India’s dominant party and others as containing “manipulated media”, saying forged content was included. Tensions rose after police visited Twitter’s offices this week. The WhatsApp lawsuit escalates a growing struggle between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and tech giants including Facebook, Google's parent Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and Twitter (TWTR.N) in one of their key global growth markets. The case asks the Delhi High Court to declare that one of the new IT rules is a violation of privacy rights in India's constitution since it requires social media companies to identify the "first originator of information" when authorities demand it, people familiar with the lawsuit told Reuters. "This differential and discriminatory treatment of Indian and European users is attracting serious criticism and betrays a lack of respect for the rights and interest of Indian citizens who form a substantial portion of WhatsApp's user base," it said.May 25 (Reuters) - WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit in Delhi against the Indian government seeking to block regulations coming into force on Wednesday that experts say would compel Facebook’s (FB.O) messaging app to break privacy protections, sources said. It is of "great concern" that Indian users have not been given the choice to opt out of this data sharing with Facebook companies and they are being given less choice compared to the app's European users, the tech ministry letter said. 4 it could share limited user data with Facebook and its group firms. Those aspirations could take a hit if Indians switch to rival messengers such as Signal and Telegram, downloads of which have surged after WhatsApp said on Jan. With 400 million users in India, WhatsApp has big plans for the country's growing digital payments space, including selling health insurance via partners. #India facebook whatsapp twitterstreetjournal update"We wish to reinforce that this update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook," it said.Ĭalifornia-based Facebook invested $5.7 billion last year in the digital unit of Indian conglomerate Reliance with a huge part of that aimed at drawing in tens of millions of traditional shop owners to use digital payments via WhatsApp. WhatsApp said in a statement it was working to address misinformation and remains available to answer any questions. "Therefore, you are called upon to withdraw the proposed changes," the ministry wrote in the letter seen by Reuters. ![]()
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