The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued the government a notice regarding messaging service WhatsApp’s decision to share its users phone numbers and other information with parent company Facebook. The notice came after a plea filed in the court said the policy “compromised the rights of users”. The government has been asked for its response to the plea by September 14.
The petition called the new rule a “breach of policy” and said, “The manner in which so-called consent is sought to be taken is highly deceptive in as much as almost the entire community of users of WhatsApp in India are not equipped to even read, much less comprehend, the consequences of the terms and conditions on the basis whereupon, WhatsApp is pretending to obtain consent of the users”, according to The Times of India.
WhatsApp had announced it will start sharing its users' phone numbers with Facebook, along with the features of the device they are using. It will soon be "coordinating" accounts with Facebook to better identify its users on the social networking site, which will allow the platform to recommend friends and show targeted ads.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!