WHATSAPP WARNS DELHI HIGH COURT TO SHUT DOWN THE APP IN INDIA IF FORCED TO BREAK ENCRYPTION

WhatsApp has issued a stark warning, stating it would cease to operate if compelled to breach message encryption, amidst a legal battle against amended IT regulations. Advocate Tejas Karia, representing WhatsApp, emphasized users’ reliance on the platform for privacy, stressing that the new rule mandating message origin identification violates privacy and lacks global precedent. The court has deferred the matter to August 14, seeking a balanced approach. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology contends that non-compliance with the rules would impede law enforcement efforts and endanger societal harmony. WhatsApp asserts that compliance would compromise end-to-end encryption, undermining privacy rights.