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WhatsApp To Put Privacy Policy On Hold; Technology Minister Upholds IT Rules

Amidst the on-going tussle between WhatsApp and the Government of India regarding the new IT Rules, WhatsApp has accepted that the “government is the administrator”. They further informed the Delhi High Court that they will put their privacy policy update “on hold”.

Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Upholds Law of the Land

Minutes after taking charge of the ministry, the Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made it clear that the “law of the land is supreme”. And no party can afford to disrespect it. Following this, WhatsApp’s counsel also accepted their commitment to the law.

Harish Salve, Senior Advocate who represents WhatsApp confirmed that WhatsApp will not be enforcing the privacy policy until the Data Protection Bill has come out.

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“In our case the government is the administrator of the rules…we said okay, we will wait till the Bill,” he said.

At the same time, Salve also informed that the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has already communicated to WhatsApp that they feel that the privacy policy is against the IT Rules, 2011. He added that his client’s reply to the Ministry’s notice is that they will not limit the usage for their users until the Data Protection Bill comes into force. Following this, WhatsApp has voluntarily decided to put a hold on the update.

WhatsApp May Conform To The Parliamentary Law

Talking about the same, Salve said that if the Bill comes in force at a later stage, WhatsApp will conform to the parliamentary laws.

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“We need to fit in the law,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi who represents Facebook also raised a question on the jurisdiction of the Competition Commission of India to initiate inquiry while upholding the suo moto powers. He informed that the Supreme Court is already in the process of examining the 2016 policy and there are other three matters that are currently pending in the High Court.