Messaging giant WhatsApp has declared that it will not restrict features for users who do not accept its new privacy policy until the Indian government passes the Personal Data Protection law. This announcement comes in response to a notice from the Indian government regarding WhatsApp’s new privacy policy.
A spokesperson for WhatsApp stated to Business Insider, “We have responded to the Government of India’s letter and assured them that the privacy of users remains our highest priority.” This response addresses concerns raised by the Indian government regarding WhatsApp’s new privacy policy, which was deemed “discriminatory,” “unfair,” and “irresponsible” by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) last week.
WhatsApp also disclosed that it will uphold its current stance until the implementation of the forthcoming Personal Data Protection (PDP) law. The spokesperson emphasized, “We hope this approach reinforces the choice that all users have whether or not they want to interact with a business. We will maintain this approach until at least the forthcoming PDP law comes into effect.”
This development is significant, especially considering the accusation from the Indian government that WhatsApp was discriminating against its Indian users while exempting European users from the new policy. Kazim Rizvi, Director at The Dialogue, highlighted the importance of the upcoming PDP bill, emphasizing the need for a law that prioritizes user privacy while aligning with India’s security and economic realities.
While WhatsApp has opted not to enforce its privacy policy strictly at present, it intends to continue reminding users about it until they accept it. The company clarified, “We will not limit the functionality of how WhatsApp works in the coming weeks. Instead, we will continue to remind users from time to time about the update.” However, the increased frequency of reminders in recent weeks may become bothersome for some users and could potentially compel them to accept the new policy reluctantly.
