To avoid net blackouts, Trai may impose selective ban on WhatsApp, Telegram

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is of the view that an arrangement to selectively ban popular over-the-top (OTT) platforms should be in place to avoid any disruption to essential internet-driven services, The Economic Times (ET) has reported. Popular applications like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram are likely to be among the apps under consideration for a selective ban.

Speaking on the subject, a senior Trai official told the newspaper that currently, the administration does not have a mechanism to selectively ban WhatsApp, Telegram or other similar apps. Given this situation, the government has to put a blanket ban on the internet.