What Is Message Encryption And Why WhatsApp Is Threatening To Leave India Over User Privacy
The point of contention is message encryption, a feature that WhatsApp rolled out in 2016. According to WhatsApp, all the messages sent through its platform are end-to-end encrypted and only the sender and receiver have acces.
WhatsApp, India's favorite instant messaging app may become unavailable in India, or leave the country if it is forced to comply with the Centre's IT Rules, 2021. The point of contention is message encryption, a feature that WhatsApp rolled out in 2016. Ever since this, WhatsApp has touted this end-to-end encryption feature as a core of its user privacy and data protection.
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Messages are end-to-end encrypted
According to WhatsApp, all the messages sent through its platform are end-to-end encrypted and only the sender and receiver have access to it. WhatsApp has repeatedly claimed that neither it nor its parent company, Meta has access to the messages between two users.
How WhatsApp messages are encrypted
WhatsApp uses open open-source Signal Protocol developed by Open Whisper Systems for its end-to-end encryption.
The Signal Protocol was published in 2013, and is a set of cryptographic specifications that provides end-to-end encryption for private communications exchanged daily by billions of people around the world.
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Can WhatsApp access data from business accounts
However, there has been some controversy after WhatsApp changed its policy to share WhatsApp for Business data with other Meta companies including Facebook. But the company has since clarified that WhatsApp cannot access any message content exchanged between users and businesses.
IT Rules 2021
According to Rule 4(2) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, a significant social media intermediary shall enable the identification of the first originator of the information on its computer resource when an order to this effect is passed by a court or by the competent authority.
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This, in other words would mean that if asked by the government, WhatsApp will have to identify the sender of a particular message.
Will have to store millions of messages
WhatsApp has argued that this is not practical as it will have to save millions of messages for years.
The Delhi High Court which is dealing with the case noted that it was a complex situation and observed that "privacy rights were not absolute" and and ¡°somewhere balance has to be done¡±.
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