Will WhatsApp be Banned? IT Ministry 'Warns' Messaging App After Lynchings on Child-Lifting Rumours Claim 29 Lives Across India
The Ministry of Information & Technology held a meeting earlier in the day to discuss way for preventing the spread of rumours through social media.
New Delhi, July 3: The government has issued a warning to popular social media messaging application WhatsApp, directing it to adopt necessary technological barriers which could curb the spread of rumours.
The warning came in the aftermath of a spate of lynchings across all parts of India which has claimed 29 lives so far on child-lifting rumours. The most recent case was reported from Maharashtra's Dhule where five alm-seekers were beaten to death.
The Ministry of Information & Technology, headed by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, held a meeting earlier in the day to discuss way for preventing the spread of rumours through social media.
Following the meeting of top officials, a statement was issued marking the Centre's "“deep disapproval" of WhatsApp's failure to check the circulation of "irresponsible and explosive messages".
Will WhatsApp be Banned?
The IT Ministry has not stated what kind of measures it adopts against WhatsApp if the messaging app fails to adhere to the issues red-flagged by the government.
Here is the statement issued by the Ministry:
"MEITY has taken serious note of these irresponsible messages and their circulation in such platforms. Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of the WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/ sensational messages."
While WhatsApp is totally banned in North Korea and China, 11 other countries have blocked its voice call feature.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2018 10:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).