WhatsApp asked to take back its privacy policy by the GOI, given 7 days to give response

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has demanded that WhatsApp revoke its current privacy policy, which has sparked widespread outrage since it was first revealed in December last year.

According to government sources, the IT ministry maintains that the amendments to WhatsApp's privacy policies, as well as the manner in which they were implemented, violate the sacred principles of informational privacy, data protection, and consumer preference, and damage the rights and interests of the Indian people.

The government has demanded a response to the notice from WhatsApp in seven days and if no adequate response is received, the government will take legal action, according to sources.

According to the reports, the ministry has taken a hard stance on the issue, stating that it is not only troublesome but also "irresponsible" for the messaging firm to use its platform to enforce "unfair" terms of service on Indian users, given that millions rely on WhatsApp to interact in their daily lives.

As per ministry sources, the government would weigh different options open to it under Indian laws in order to meet its sovereign duty to protect the rights and interests of Indian people.

Following WhatsApp's announcement that it would change its terms of service and privacy policies on how it handles user data and will work with Facebook to provide integrated services, a heated controversy had ensued.

In the Delhi High Court, where the case is pending, the ministry has taken the same stance. In January, the government requested that WhatsApp revoke its revised privacy policies, claiming that the suggested amendments allow intrusive and accurate inferences regarding apps.

WhatsApp had originally set a deadline of February 8th for these updates, but following a protest and significant concerns, it was postponed until May 15th.