The Centre on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that the controversial new privacy policy of instant messaging app WhatsApp was against the Indian Information Technology (IT) law and rules.
The Union government made the submission before an HC Bench during a hearing of several petitions challenging WhatsApp’s latest privacy policy, which, according to the platform, has come into effect from May 15.
WhatsApp said its new privacy policy had come into effect from May 15, but also clarified that it would not start deleting accounts of those users who had not accepted it and would try to encourage them to get on board.
The HC had issued notice to the Centre, Facebook, which owns the app, and WhatsApp on a plea by a lawyer who had claimed that the new policy violated users’ right to privacy under the Indian Constitution. The Centre also informed the High Court that it had written to Facebook CEO on the issue and a reply was awaited.
The court will hear the case again on June 3.
