Meta-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has told Delhi High Court that it may have no option but to shut down its India operations. The widely used messaging app is locked in a tussle with the Indian government over a new law requiring social media platforms to identify the senders of messages upon legal request.
One of the key WhatsApp privacy features is end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp told the court that the new law would force it to break end-to-end encryption.
Tejas Karia, lawyer representing WhatsApp argued that privacy is critical to WhatsApp and breaking encryption would make users lose trust in the app. “If we are told to break encryption, then WhatsApp goes,” Karia told the court.
End-to-end encryption is a significant privacy feature that allows you to communicate with the assurance that only the intended receiver can see your messages. WhatsApp says that even it can’t read or access any messages, which users send on its platform.
The government of India, however, maintains that the need to trace origins of messages is important. “The idea behind the guidelines was to trace the originator of the messages,” said Kirtiman Singh, representing on behalf of the Indian government. The government argues that the idea is to identify those who spread harmful content and compromise online safety.
The Delhi High Court acknowledged the importance of user privacy and online safety. The court said that “privacy rights were not absolute” but further said that “somewhere balance has to be done.” The hearing was adjourned for a later date in August. However, it’s not clear whether the court will give a judgement on the matter in August or not.
Also read: WhatsApp rolls out passkeys for iPhone users: What it is, how it works and more
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