Users will soon need to keep the same physical SIM card, which was used for registering on WhatsApp, inside their device.
If the SIM card is removed from the phone, or if someone tries to use the app on a device that does not have that SIM, the app will have to block access.
The rules also affect web-based versions of the messaging apps, such as WhatsApp Web. These services will now have to automatically log out users after a set duration.
The government has issued new rules that will affect the way people in India use popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat and others. The new rules are meant to fight cyber fraud, especially cases where Indian mobile numbers are misused from outside the country. According to the new directions from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), any communication app that uses a mobile number to identify its users must keep its service continuously linked to the SIM card used at the time of registration. This requirement is known as SIM binding.
SurveyIn simple terms, this means users will need to keep the same physical SIM card, which was used for registering on the app, inside their device. If the SIM card is removed from the phone, or if someone tries to use the app on a device that does not have that SIM, the app will have to block access. Users could be stopped from using these apps if they do not have the original SIM present in their device.
Also read: Amazon Black Friday Sale: Google Pixel 10 price drops by over Rs 14,000, check details
The rules also cover web-based versions of these apps, such as WhatsApp Web. These services will now have to automatically log out users after a set duration. Any web session cannot stay active for more than six hours at a time. This means that even if a user forgets to log out from a browser on a laptop or desktop, the session will end on its own after the allowed time.
In its notice, the DoT explained the reason for these strict changes. It said: “It has come to the notice of Central Government that some of the app based communication services that are utilising mobile number for identification of its customers… allow users to consume their services without availability of the underlying SIM within the device… posing challenge to telecom cyber security as it is being misused from outside the country to commit cyber-frauds,” DoT stated in its notice.
Only time will tell if these changes will effectively curb misuse without causing inconvenience to legitimate users.
Also read: Apple to open fifth India Store in Noida next month: Date, location and everything you should know
Follow Us
Ayushi Jain
Ayushi works as Chief Copy Editor at Digit, covering everything from breaking tech news to in-depth smartphone reviews. Prior to Digit, she was part of the editorial team at IANS. View Full Profile
