WhatsApp Sued About Data Privacy In India

WhatsApp illustration (doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - WhatsApp has run into a legal problem, related to its new policy of sharing data with Facebook. A number of petitions denouncing the privacy of WhatsApp users were filed in Indian courts.

WhatsApp, has announced a privacy update to share some user data, including location and phone number, with Facebook and other Facebook-owned platforms, such as Instagram and Messenger.

That, according to a Reuters report, sparked outrage in various countries, including in India's largest market which has 400 million users.

Those changes also face challenges in Turkey. The country's competition council this week started an investigation into the messaging service and its parent service.

In India, many users have reportedly started installing rival apps such as Signal and Telegram.

"This virtually gives a 360 degree profile to a person's online activities," said lawyer Chaitanya Rohilla regarding the petition about WhatsApp's new policy, which was submitted to the Delhi High Court.

The petition says that Whatsapp jeopardizes national security by sharing, transmitting and storing user data in other countries with information regulated by foreign law.

WhatsApp has given users a February 8 deadline to agree to the new terms. "WhatsApp has made fun of our basic right to privacy," said the petition.

"This type of arbitrary behavior and chaos is unacceptable in a democracy and is completely 'ultra vires' (outside of its power) and is against the fundamental rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution," the petition said.

The case will be heard by the Delhi High Court on Friday next week. Regarding this problem WhatsApp is reluctant to comment.

But previously, WhatsApp has emphasized that the policy update does not affect the privacy of messages with friends and family, because group chats are encrypted and the changes are only related to interactions with businesses.