Indian government wants WhatsApp to withdraw its new privacy policy completely
As many of you have heard by now, WhatsApp plans to introduce a new privacy policy that would effectively allow them to share data with Facebook. This has raised a number of concerns and questions, to the point where WhatsApp has ultimately delayed those changes until they can provide more clear and definitive answers.
But it seems that not everyone cares to wait it out, like the Indian government where they have asked WhatsApp to withdraw the changes entirely. According to the nation’s IT ministry, they claim that these changes present “grave concerns regarding the implications for the choice and autonomy of Indian citizens”, which is why they are asking WhatsApp to withdraw it.
They also claim that there is “differential treatment” as countries in the EU won’t be affected by these changes in the privacy policy. For those unfamiliar, a few years ago, the EU introduced the General Data Protection Regulation which imposes heavy fines and penalties for companies that violate it, which is why WhatsApp’s changes in its privacy policy don’t apply to those living in the EU.
Whether or not WhatsApp will comply with the request remains to be seen, but for now, the company has issued a statement which reads:
“We wish to reinforce that this update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook. Our aim is to provide transparency and new options available to engage with businesses so they can serve their customers and grow. WhatsApp will always protect personal messages with end-to-end encryption so that neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can see them. We are working to address misinformation and remain available to answer any questions.”
Source: Android Authority