WhatsApp vs Govt: in two cases in HC, each side contradicts itself

Two cases in Delhi High Court, both Centre vs WhatsApp, have user privacy at their heart. However, in each of these cases, both sides have made arguments that are diametrically opposite to what they have argued in the other case, throwing up inherent contradictions in the positions they have taken.

In the first case, WhatsApp is defending its privacy policy update of 2021, which asks users to sign up to its data-sharing policy with Facebook group companies, while the Centre is opposing the policy update on grounds including “violation of informational privacy”.

The Centre has argued that WhatsApp is indulging in anti-user practices by obtaining “trick-consent”,