WhatsApp recently added end to end encryption to their service which makes it virtually impossible for anyone else to decode the messages. The new security feature, however, does not comply with Indian telecom rules and the messenger service risks facing a ban in India.
“The idea is simple: when you send a message, the only person who can read it is the person or group chat that you send that message to. No one can see inside that message. Not cybercriminals. Not hackers. Not oppressive regimes. Not even us. End-to-end encryption helps make communication via WhatsApp private – sort of like a face-to-face conversation,” wrote WhatsApp in a post on their blog.
Any telecom service or internet service provider needs to acquire a license from the DoT to provide encrypted services in India. However, a service such as WhatsApp is an Ott (Over The Top) service and is not regulated by the encryption requirement laws of the country. The fear is that such services could possibly be used for criminal and terrorist activities.
Currently, there is no law that can seize WhatsApp’s activities in the country even with the new security feature. However, the authorities are reportedly aiming to pass new policies with respect to encryption standards which might result in the ban of the popular messenger app.
