Delhi HC hears petition against WhatsApp's updated privacy policy

The Delhi High Court on January 15 began hearing a petition against messaging platform WhatsApp's updated privacy policy.

The petitioner, Advocate Chaitanya Rohilla, said the revised policy violates the Right to Privacy, legal news website Bar & Bench reported.

The plea also said the Facebook-owned platform's policy provides a "360-degree profile into a person's online activity", without any government oversight. It also said there is no clarity on the extent to which sensitive data will be shared.

Also read: WhatsApp Privacy Policy 2021 | Read the full text here

"WhatsApp has made a mockery out of our fundamental right to privacy while discharging a public function in India, besides jeopardizing the National Security of the country by sharing, transmitting and storing the users data in some another country and that data, in turn, will be governed by the laws of that foreign country", the petition reads, as quoted by the website.

Justice Prathiba M Singh recused herself from hearing the case, and will transfer it to a single-judge bench. The judge also said the matter should be treated as Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Also read: WhatsApp's new data privacy policy | Take a look at the info the messenger service will collect from you

The matter will next be heard on January 18, Bar & Bench reported.

WhatsApp has received backlash over the policy, due to concerns over data sharing with Facebook. WhatsApp has also issued a clarification, stating that the update relates to messages with a business over WhatsApp.

WhatsApp users have time until February 8, 2021 to accept the new policy.

Messaging apps Signal and Telegram, which are seen as more secure, have seen a surge in popularity after WhatsApp's updated policy.