WhatsApp defends its new privacy policy in Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: Instant messaging platform WhatsApp today adversarial in Delhi High Court a plea alleging that privacy of its customers has been threatened by means of a brand new privacy coverage introduced by means of Facebook, pronouncing regulations were in place and the latter does not have get right of entry to to any knowledge as it supplies end-to-end encryption .

WhatsApp had made intensive changes to its privacy coverage on August 25, the first time since it was once acquired by means of Facebook, giving customers the option of sharing their account knowledge with the social community giant. The messaging provider gave its customers 30 days till September 25 to choose out of the coverage.

The submission was once made sooner than a bench of leader justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, who were listening to a PIL in opposition to WhatsApp's contemporary determination to percentage user knowledge with father or mother company Facebook.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for WhatsApp, stated there are executive regulations in place and the applying does not percentage customers non-public messages, contents, pictures or knowledge with Facebook.

He stated WhatsApp handiest shares a user's name and the telephone number with Facebook . "WhatsApp does not have access to any data as it provides end-to-end encryption".

'WhatsApp sharing knowledge with Facebook isn't surprising'

Facebook has a long historical past of making insurance policies and decisions that pass at once in opposition to the theory of customers’ on-line privacy. This includes everything from court cases accusing the social media giant of posting customers’ knowledge on its platform with out their consent to the coverage of getting to use ‘real names’ on profiles.

"We only have access to the person's name and number which is also obtained by online consent. We are abiding by the central government's regulations for messenger apps. We are not dealing with sensitive information at all," Luthra stated, adding that "if any of the user wants to opt out of the new policy, he/she cannot be forced to not choose that option".


To this, the court asked WhatsApp to file a brief affidavit sooner than September 20 explaining the factual position with reference to the troubles raised within the writ petition.


However, senior advocate Pratibha M Singh, appearing for petitioners Karmanya Singh Sareen and Shreya Sethi, argued the messaging provider was once sharing all the knowledge with Facebook even supposing customers choose out of the new coverage.


The petitioners, customers of the popular quick messaging provider, have alleged that WhatsApp, Facebook Inc and Facebook India Online Pvt Ltd's new non-public coverage "compromises the rights of its users", which could also be a "very serious breach of policy".
WhatsApp defends its new privacy policy in Delhi High Court WhatsApp defends its new privacy policy in Delhi High Court Reviewed by Kailash on October 23, 2017 Rating: 5
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