Data storage: WhatsApp plans third-party audit

BENGALURU: WhatsApp has identified a third-party company to audit its payments system for data-localisation compliance here, the popular messaging platform has told the Supreme Court in response to Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) affidavit last month. In its response to the apex court on Tuesday, reviewed by TOI, WhatsApp said it has also submitted a ‘confidential revised data-localisation plan’ to all stakeholders. WhatsApp did not name the auditor it has chosen for compliance check.
Incidentally, sources in the regulatory body National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said WhatsApp, which has over 200 million active users in the country, is yet to commit to an official timeline to be fully compliant with RBI’s data-localisation norms here. While WhatsApp will need NPCI’s nod to roll out full-scale payments to its over 200 million monthly active users in India, MeitY (ministry of IT and Technology) — which has been involved in the matter — would also need to be convinced of WhatsApp’s complete compliance with Indian rules.