Whatsapp Privacy Row

The Centre today said that it will examine the charge against WhatsApp of allegedly accessing the microphone of users' devices without their knowledge.

The Delhi High Court on Monday said that it is not mandatory to download WhatsApp, amid concerns over the company's new privacy policy.

Social media platform WhatsApp underscored today that its proposed privacy policy is not meant to enhance data sharing but provide options to help businesses expand. The reiteration came following the government's letter to Will Cathcart, the Global CEO of WhatsApp, asking that the new policy for Indian users be withdrawn.

A recent survey has revealed that only 18 percent of users may continue using WhatsApp in India while 36 percent will reduce their usage drastically. Also, 15 percent of users are likely to stop using the app completely, amid the ongoing privacy row.

WhatsApp's clarification on its privacy policy was splashed across newspapers in full-page ads this morning with the boldfaced title: "WhatsApp respects and protects your privacy".

Amid row over reports of WhatsApp users alleging leak of their private messages with family and friends on search engines, the Facebook-owned messaging service has issued yet another clarification.

After WhatsApp's new privacy policy, users are switching in droves to Signal and Telegram. The movement to leave Facebook-owned WhatsApp grew even stronger after whistleblower Edward Snowden recommended Signal as well. Asked for a reason to trust Signal, Snowden replied, “Here's a reason: I use it every day and I'm not dead yet.”

The WhatsApp snooping row came up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha today, with the Congress-led Opposition claiming that only a joint parliamentary committee probe can bring out the truth in a case where allegations of hacking are being raised against the centre itself.

The kind of malware that led to the massive privacy breach on WhatsApp in at least 20 countries abuses vulnerabilities in operating systems of mobile phones, the messaging platform has said in a fresh statement, days after the snooping scandal came to light.

WhatsApp Snooping Row: The phones of three opposition leaders -- Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Nationalist Congress Party's Praful Patel - were hacked by the government, the Congress has claimed.

WhatsApp had informed Indian authorities in May about a privacy breach that affected some users in the country and worked quickly to resolve it, the Facebook-owned company said in a statement on Friday, a day after the government demanded an explanation.

Congress's Rahul Gandhi targeted the government today over the WhatsApp breach of privacy issue, which unleashed a political storm this morning. By the evening, as the Centre said it has sought an explanation from the social media giant, Mr Gandhi - who is currently abroad on a "meditational trip", tweeted a jibe, citing the Rafale fighter jet dea...

The government today said it had asked WhatsApp to explain the breach of privacy of Indian users who were targeted by Israeli spyware earlier this year.

Those involved say it's only a matter of time before a new case emerges which tests the boundaries of law enforcement and data protection.

The popular messaging service WhatsApp said on Tuesday it had implemented "full end-to-end encryption," a move which steps up privacy but may lead to conflicts with law enforcement agencies.

The Centre today said that it will examine the charge against WhatsApp of allegedly accessing the microphone of users' devices without their knowledge.

The Delhi High Court on Monday said that it is not mandatory to download WhatsApp, amid concerns over the company's new privacy policy.

Social media platform WhatsApp underscored today that its proposed privacy policy is not meant to enhance data sharing but provide options to help businesses expand. The reiteration came following the government's letter to Will Cathcart, the Global CEO of WhatsApp, asking that the new policy for Indian users be withdrawn.

A recent survey has revealed that only 18 percent of users may continue using WhatsApp in India while 36 percent will reduce their usage drastically. Also, 15 percent of users are likely to stop using the app completely, amid the ongoing privacy row.

WhatsApp's clarification on its privacy policy was splashed across newspapers in full-page ads this morning with the boldfaced title: "WhatsApp respects and protects your privacy".

Amid row over reports of WhatsApp users alleging leak of their private messages with family and friends on search engines, the Facebook-owned messaging service has issued yet another clarification.

After WhatsApp's new privacy policy, users are switching in droves to Signal and Telegram. The movement to leave Facebook-owned WhatsApp grew even stronger after whistleblower Edward Snowden recommended Signal as well. Asked for a reason to trust Signal, Snowden replied, “Here's a reason: I use it every day and I'm not dead yet.”

The WhatsApp snooping row came up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha today, with the Congress-led Opposition claiming that only a joint parliamentary committee probe can bring out the truth in a case where allegations of hacking are being raised against the centre itself.

The kind of malware that led to the massive privacy breach on WhatsApp in at least 20 countries abuses vulnerabilities in operating systems of mobile phones, the messaging platform has said in a fresh statement, days after the snooping scandal came to light.

WhatsApp Snooping Row: The phones of three opposition leaders -- Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Nationalist Congress Party's Praful Patel - were hacked by the government, the Congress has claimed.

WhatsApp had informed Indian authorities in May about a privacy breach that affected some users in the country and worked quickly to resolve it, the Facebook-owned company said in a statement on Friday, a day after the government demanded an explanation.

Congress's Rahul Gandhi targeted the government today over the WhatsApp breach of privacy issue, which unleashed a political storm this morning. By the evening, as the Centre said it has sought an explanation from the social media giant, Mr Gandhi - who is currently abroad on a "meditational trip", tweeted a jibe, citing the Rafale fighter jet dea...

The government today said it had asked WhatsApp to explain the breach of privacy of Indian users who were targeted by Israeli spyware earlier this year.

Those involved say it's only a matter of time before a new case emerges which tests the boundaries of law enforcement and data protection.

The popular messaging service WhatsApp said on Tuesday it had implemented "full end-to-end encryption," a move which steps up privacy but may lead to conflicts with law enforcement agencies.