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We Must Protect Users’ Privacy: Supreme Court Issues Notice To Whatsapp And Centre

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Mansi Rajput

On Monday, the Supreme Court asked the popular messaging app, Whatsapp to take the required action to safeguard the privacy of its users. The Facebook-owned messaging company updated its privacy policy in the initial days of 2021. The Court has issued an official notice to the Centre and company seeking an answer for lowering the standard for Indian users of the app.

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The updated privacy policy of Whatsapp came into effect on 8th February. As specified in the policy, users of the app shall concede with its new data-sharing norms. The revised policy states that the conversations of business accounts will be shared with Facebook. Since it is mandatory to accept the policy, users are concerned about the privacy of their data.

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In the hearing, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said, "People have grave concern about the loss of privacy. You (WhatsApp) may be a two trillion or three trillion company, but people value their privacy more than your money. We must protect users’ privacy."

The bench mentioned, "You make a statement on oath. It can't be done by sharing data of Indians... What we have heard and read in the media, people think if A messages to B the whole circuit to whom the message goes is known to Facebook/WhatsApp."

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Petitioner Karmanya Singh Sareen and others have sought to stay on the renewed privacy policies of the app. They believe that the app has different privacy policies for India and Europe. They are concerned about the data loss of the users.

Senior Advocate Sibal, however, stated, "This policy applies to the rest of the world, except Europe. Europe has a special law and we will follow that law. Once there is a law here we will follow that."

The Court has allowed the app to answer it in four weeks. Seems like Whatsapp will be facing more challenges due to the update in its policies.

Whatsapp Privacy Policy Mark Zukerberg Whatsapp Supreme Court #facebook