MeitY looks into WhatsApp’s user policy, might land the messenger platform in trouble

Last updated on May 21st, 2021 at 05:34 am

WhatsApp has announced its policy of limiting user access over time to private messages, incoming video or voice calls, if they don’t accept new terms of its user policy. This has triggered MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) to look into the fine print of this announcement. The decision on issue would soon be made by the government. 

The stand-by popular social networking and messenger app has been wobbling for some time now. On May 7, WhatsApp said no accounts would be deleted even if they don’t accept the privacy policy by May 15. But on Monday, May 10, the platform said that it would not delete the accounts, but would restrict access of such users to their chat list and then would later be unable to answer any incoming video or voice call. The announcement is reflecting on the website of the platform that says it is reminding all the users who haven’t accepted their terms. The experts say that WhatsApp’s persistent reminder is in violation of the country’s laws on abuse of dominating position and can be challenged in court. 

“What WhatsApp is essentially doing here is that you either share your data with it or you will not be able to use its services. This is coercion disguised under the garb of ‘consent’, especially considering it is a dominant player,” said Prasanth Sugathan, legal director, SFLC.in.

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Earlier the policy accepting deadline was set as February 8 by WhatsApp but was later shifted to May 15 after much protests from its users. The platform however, said that it would continue to remind its users to accept the terms. This was even after MeitY sent a letter to its global CEO Will Cathcart and asked him to withdraw privacy policy. The Ministry had even later approached Delhi High Court for the same.