Achi news desk-
WhatsApp has informed the Delhi High Court that it will cease operations if it is forced to compromise the encryption of messages, as stated in the case challenging the amended IT regulations
WhatsApp, the globally used social platform connecting users around the world and its parent company Facebook (Meta) have faced some of the IT (Digital Media Intermediary Guidelines and Code of Ethics) Rules, 2021,
During Thursday’s proceedings, WhatsApp issued a warning, stating its potential closure if it compromised user privacy by requiring end-to-end encryption to be broken. This sparked a debate about finding the right balance between protecting individual privacy rights and fulfilling the government’s duty to maintain national security.
Rule 4(2), which the platform is now challenging, states that social media companies offering messaging services must disclose the identity of the sender, if ordered to do so by a court or competent authority.
“As a platform, we say, if we are told to crack encryption, then WhatsApp goes,” Mr Tahas Kariya, representing WhatsApp, told a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, Bar and Bench report.
The rule states that a significant intermediary in social media, especially one that offers messaging services, must facilitate the identification of the initial sender of the information in its computer system, when this requires a judicial order from a court of appropriate jurisdiction or an authorization given under section 69 by the competent authority in accordance with the rules Information technology (procedure and protective measures for interception, monitoring and decoding of information), 2009-2009.
Kariya emphasized this point and claimed that the rule was implemented without any prior consultation. He stated before the Delhi High Court that people choose to use the messaging platform specifically because it ensures their privacy through its end-to-end encryption. “As a platform, we say, if you tell us to break encryption, then WhatsApp is out.” he said.
End-to-end encryption means that only the sender and the intended recipient can access the content of the messages, ensuring complete confidentiality and security. Therefore, any requirement to reveal the identity of the original sender would compromise the basic privacy guarantees provided by WhatsApp and could undermine users’ trust in the platform.
Posted: 26 April 2024, 18:34 IST
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