WhatsApp Files Lawsuit in India over New Laws That Impact User Privacy

NEW DELHI - WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit challenging the Indian government’s new rules that require the Facebook-owned messaging platform to make people’s messages traceable, a move it says would undermine the privacy of users.

The lawsuit was filed as India brought sweeping new regulations into force on Wednesday to make social media and technology companies, that have tens of millions of users in the country, more accountable for content on their platform. One of the new rules would require messaging platforms to identify the “first originator of information” when authorities demand it. WhatsApp wants that regulation blocked saying that it undermines citizens’ fundamental right to privacy. In a statement issued after the lawsuit was filed, the government said it respects the right to privacy as a fundamental right but "no Fundamental Right, including the Right to Privacy, is absolute and it is subject to reasonable restrictions.”