Privacy policy case : SC asks WhatsApp to publicise undertaking to govt

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked WhatApp to give wide publicity to its undertaking to the Centre that it will not limit functionality of the app for users in India who do not agree to its revised privacy policy until the government firms up a data protection law.

In an interim direction, a five-judge Constitution bench asked the messaging platform to do this through full-page advertisements in five national dailies on two occasions. The ads will state what the app said in the undertaking given to the Centre by a letter dated May 22, 2021.

The court was hearing petitions challenging WhatsApp’s agreement with Facebook, after the latter purchased it, to provide access to calls, photographs, texts, videos and documents shared by users.