Supreme Court Issues Notice To Centre On Plea Seeking Ban Of Zoom App

New Delhi: A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice SA Bobde on Saturday issued notice to the Union government on a Public Interest Litgation (PIL) seeking a ban on the use of the Zoom software app for official and personal use, until a law is enacted, legal sources said. The petition contends that the Zoom app lacks internet safety and violates Information Technology Act 2000 and Information Technology Rules, 2009.

The PIL also contends that the Zoom app breaches internet security and does not have end-to-end encryption. According to the petitioners, the app poses a threat to the privacy of individuals. The petitioner referred to false claims of end-to-end encryption made by Zoom app. The PIL further contends that Zoom misuses and exploits personal data of millions of people through misleading advertising about its security features.

Zoom has become a major tool of communication across continents for conducting virtual meetings during the time of the coronavirus pandemic crisis and the lockdown.

The PIL has impleaded the Union government through the Ministry of IT and Information Security Division of Ministry of Home Affairs. The plea also states that Zoom App uses data hoarding and creates problems by way of strangers gaining unauthorised access to private meetings. These situations create further problems, the plea argues.