International spam calls on WhatsApp: IT ministry to send notice to the company – Times of India
He said that the digital platforms are responsible and accountable for ensuring the safety of ‘digital nagriks’. The minister further added that the government will respond to every instance of alleged misuse or alleged breach of users’ privacy.
The minister’s comments assume significance as WhatsApp users in India have reported a massive surge in incoming international spam calls over the past few days. Several users have complained on social media platforms of getting spam calls with country codes belonging to Indonesia (+62), Vietnam (+84), Malaysia (+60), Kenya (+254) and Ethiopia (+251).
Government planning guidelines for preloaded apps
He also said that the government is planning to come with guidelines on what should be permissions for preloaded apps. The minister also made it clear that the platforms are responsible for ensuring the safety and trust of users. “I have said repeatedly that openness trust, safety and accountability are the responsibility of platforms who deliver to digital nagriks,” the minister noted. If there is an issue of spam, it is certainly an issue WhatsApp should look at or any messenger platform should look at, he added.
“Government will respond to every alleged misuse or alleged breach of privacy,” he said. One of the problems being examined at this point is also how these numbers are accessed by scammers.
“How are they able to identify which numbers are on WhatsApp…are they doing it blindly…is it some database they have got? If there is a database it is a violation of privacy, or if not are they doing it through a bot… sending messages to random numbers… But that is certainly something platforms will be asked to look at,” he said.
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