FACEBOOK WHATSAPP OFFICIAL PRESS NOTE
FACEBOOK
The government is in the process of framing a policy to protect the data
imprints on WhatsApp, Facebook and other applications, the Supreme
Court was informed on Tuesday.
The report further added that every admin in a group is directed that
any statement or post that can affect religious sentiments will be
penalised. The order, issued yesterday, says that while freedom of
expression on social media is important, it also comes with a
responsibility.
With over 200 million WhatsApp users in India, the report indicates that
every social media group administrator should be ready to bear
responsibility and ownership of the group. The admins are advised to add
individuals who are known to them personally to avoid any religious
disharmony, rumour etc. Should any such situation arise, the admin is
expected to remove such members from the group.
When such a post or rumour is being circulated, the post must be
reported legally to the nearby police station, and the individual will
be under the radar. It also directs that cases under the cyber crime
law, Information Technology Act, and IPC be filed in the case of
violation of these guidelines.
The order also makes it clear that orders of the Supreme Court and
various high courts will be considered while initiating action. In an
age where social media is booming, filtering content will imply
thoughtful execution by the WhatsApp administrators.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi supported the petition filed in the top
court questioning the privacy policy of WhatsApp that allows the social
media platform to share the data commercially left behind by its users.
He said the comprehensive data protection framework would ban sharing of
data by service providers or app owners.