Explained: Why is WhatsApp challenging Indian govt's order over 'privacy'?

livemint.com:

Will cease to function if forced to break encryption, WhatsApp tells Delhi High Court WhatsApp and its parent firm have challenged Information Technology Rule 4(2) of the 2021 IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) that compels "significant social media intermediaries" to "enable the identification of the first originator of the information" which may be required by a court order or other competent authority. WhatsApp has unequivocally said it would not break its end-to-end encryption as it argues it would violate users' privacy.

In its 2021 petition, the Meta-backed firm said the Indian government's order on enabling the identification of the first originator of the information is a threat to its "end-to-end encryption" and "users' privacies". It said the traceability provision is against the "fundamental right to privacy".

Meta Q1 Results: Facebook parent more than doubles profit to $12.37 billion WhatsApp has urged the Delhi High Court to pronounce Rule 4(2) of the intermediary rule as unconstitutional. Besides, it has sought that no criminal liability be imposed on it for any alleged non-compliance with Rule 4(2).

The Centre argues that traceability to know the originator of information is significant to tackling harmful content like fake news and hate speech. WhatsApp will soon enable file sharing without internet: Report The government said that the law empowers it to expect such entities to create safe cyberspace and counter "illegal content".