Why did WhatsApp say that ‘I will leave India’, in the Delhi High Court? WhatsApp has said during the hearing in Delhi High Court that they will have to ‘leave India’. This has been said by the app in the ongoing hearing in the court regarding some rules of IT Act 2021.
What did WhatsApp refuse to do? What is the reason for the statement? What is encryption feature of WhatsApp? Why is WhatsApp removed from Apple app Store in China? What did WhatsApp said regarding the matter? For more such information do check out given article covering all such information.
Why did WhatsApp threaten the court that they will leave India?
Social media platform WhatsApp has clearly said that if it is asked to remove encryption, it will leave India. WhatsApp has told the Delhi High Court that it will effectively be shut down in India if it is forced to break message encryption.
Meta-owned company WhatsApp said that end-to-end encryption protects users’ privacy by ensuring that only the sender and recipient can know the message content. Actually, WhatsApp said this while challenging the Information Technology Rules 2021.
Why WhatsApp is not removing encryption features?
According to a Times of India report, lawyer Tejas Karia, appearing in the court on behalf of WhatsApp, told the division bench, ‘As a platform, we are saying that if we are asked to break encryption, WhatsApp will go.
Karia said that people use WhatsApp only because of its privacy features, which the company has provided. WhatsApp has more than 400 million users in India, which makes it the largest market for this platform.
Actually, WhatsApp said this while challenging the Information Technology Rules 2021.
What are WhatsApp’s encryption features?
All messages and calls on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted. All messages and calls on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted which means they’re between the two people involved and no other than them. It also provides its users with a sense of security that their data is safe.
In simple language, users have been asked to trace the messages to find out who has sent a message for the first time. If WhatsApp does this, it will have to trace all the messages of all users and keep a record of them for years.
What did WhatsApp say?
Tejas Karia, on behalf of WhatsApp, told the bench of Chief Justice Manmohan Singh and Justice Man meet Pritam Singh Arora hearing the case, ‘As a platform, we are saying, if we are asked to break the encryption, WhatsApp will go out. ‘
‘We have to keep the entire chain, and we don’t know which messages we will be asked to decrypt. This means that we will have to store crores of messages for years.
What did WhatsApp tell the court about why people use WhatsApp?
The company says that people use this platform because of privacy and end-to-end encryption. If they were to break it, the instant messaging platform would stop working in India. WhatsApp has told the Delhi High Court that they will have to exit India if they are asked to break encryption.
What did WhatsApp’s team told the Court regarding privacy?
On behalf of META’s messaging platform WhatsApp, the lawyer told the Delhi High Court that people all over the world use WhatsApp because of its privacy because they know that the messages sent on WhatsApp are end-to-end encryption there. If encryption is removed from WhatsApp then it will be dangerous for the privacy of the people of the country.
What is Information technology rule 2021?
The new IT Rules give the government sweeping powers to censor content online. The rules require intermediaries to remove access to content that is unlawful or harmful. However, the rules do not define what constitutes is unlawful or harmful content. This leaves it open to interpretation by the government.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, while virtually addressing Meta’s annual event last year, had said, ‘India is a country that is at the forefront. You are leading the world in terms of how people and businesses use messaging. Let us tell you that Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp and Facebook, has challenged the Information Technology Rules 2021, in which they have been asked to trace the chats and identify the senders. WhatsApp has said in its argument that this law weakens encryption and violates the protection of users’ privacy under the Indian Constitution.
Which all apps do follow Information Technology rules 2021?
The Central Government passed the Information Technology Act in the country on 25 February 2021. It was said that platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter(X) and Instagram will also have to follow these. WhatsApp challenged IT rules Meta’s company WhatsApp has challenged the Information Technology Act 2021 in the
Delhi High Court.
Under the IT Information Act, there was talk of tracing messages and identifying those sending the messages. Opposing this, WhatsApp challenged this in the Delhi High Court and said that this would break the company’s end-to-end encryption.
What argument did WhatsApp-Meta give?
Messaging platform WhatsApp has argued that these rules weaken the encryption as well as the privacy of users. It also violates the fundamental rights of users guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. WhatsApp’s lawyer Kariya said, ‘There is no such rule anywhere else in the world.
Not even in Brazil. We have to keep the entire chain and we do not know which messages will be asked to decrypt. This means that millions and millions of messages will have to be stored for many years.
What did the government say?
Kirtiman Singh, appearing for the Central Government, defended the rules and stressed the need to trace the senders of the messages. Kirtiman Singh argued that such a system is necessary in today’s environment. After this, Delhi High Court listed the petitions of WhatsApp and Meta for hearing on 14 August. The bench said that the right to privacy is not absolute and a balance has to be struck somewhere.
What did the court ask regarding rules and regulations maintained by WhatsApp?
‘There are no rules like IT Act in the whole world’, WhatsApp lawyer During the hearing in the Delhi High Court, the court asked whether there are such rules in any other country? On this, the lawyer of WhatsApp app said, ‘There is no such rule anywhere in the world. Even in Brazil, no such rule exists.
When will be the next hearing of the case?
The next hearing in this case will be on August 14. The bench asked in this matter whether there are such rules in other countries also. In response to which WhatsApp said that there is no such rule anywhere in the world. Not even in Brazil.
WhatsApp is removed from the Apple app store in China?
In a blow to Meta, Apple has removed two big apps from its App Store. However, this step has been taken in China. Apple has made it clear that they have removed these apps on the orders of the Chinese government. Apple says that on Friday, Meta’s two apps WhatsApp and Threads have been removed from the App Store in China.
Why did the Chinese government order WhatsApp from the Apple app store?
The Chinese government has ordered to remove these apps citing security reasons. However, Meta’s other apps Facebook, Instagram and Messenger are still available on the Apple App Store in China. Apart from this, YouTube and X are also available in China.
What is the threat to China from WhatsApp and Threads?
It is not yet clear how WhatsApp and Threads are seen as a threat by Chinese authorities. According to the Reuters report, Apple has said in its statement, ‘China’s Cyberspace Administration has ordered the removal of these apps.
What did Apple say regarding the matter?
Apple said, ‘We have to follow the rules of the country in which we operate. Even if we disagree on something. Meta has refused to comment on this matter. Whereas China’s Cyberspace Administration has not made any comment in this regard.
Apple has said that WhatsApp and Threads will be available for download on other storefronts (in other countries). Chinese consumers can download these apps from the Apple App Store in other countries. Some experts say that this action on WhatsApp and Threads is due to China’s new rules.
Many apps have been removed earlier also. Under the new rules, all apps will have to be registered with the government in China. The deadline for this registration ended in March and new rules have come into effect from April 1. It is not that such action has taken place for the first time. Even before, Apple has removed many apps in China.
In 2017, Apple removed The New York Times news app in China. At that time, while removing this app, the company had said that The New York Times had violated Chinese rules. Last year also many of the company’s apps like Chat GPT were removed.
Frequently asked questions about WhatsApp
1.Why is WhatsApp leaving India?
WhatsApp Threatens to Leave India over Information Technology rules issued in 2021. In
a hearing Delhi court asked WhatsApp to remove its encryption features as per the IT
Rules 2021. By which WhatsApp responded that they’ll leave India if asked about
removing the encryption feature.
2.Who is the owner of WhatsApp?
WhatsApp was founded by Jan Koum and Brian Acton who had previously spent 20 years combined at Yahoo. WhatsApp continues to operate as a separate app with a main focus on building a messaging service that works fast and reliably anywhere in the world.
3.Will WhatsApp exit India?
Whatsapp has threatened the Delhi court that they’re ready to exit the India market.
They said this in the Delhi High Court, during a hearing in which Whatsapp has
challenged a new Indian law which requires social media platforms to identify the FIRST
originators of certain messages, but if the court orders them to remove their encryption
features they’re likely to make an exit from India.
4.What is Information technology rule 2021?
The new IT Rules give the government sweeping powers to censor content online. The
rules require intermediaries to remove access to content that is unlawful or harmful.
However, the rules do not define what constitutes is unlawful or harmful content. This
leaves it open to interpretation by the government.
5.Why did the Chinese government order WhatsApp from the Apple app store?
The Chinese government has ordered to remove these apps citing security reasons.
However, Meta’s other apps Facebook, Instagram and Messenger are still available on the
Apple App Store in China. Apart from this, YouTube and X are also available in China.
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