Government wants WhatsApp to share user data to fight deepfakes; What WhatsApp says

WhatsApp is one of the most used instant messaging applications in the country. Millions of people across the country use the platform daily to connect with friends, family, colleagues, etc. However, it is also known that WhatsApp can also be a carrier of deepfakes and spam messages, especially when elections are around the corner. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Indian government is considering invoking a law under which WhatsApp will have to share the data of the first sender of messages. This is done to combat deepfakes circulating on the platform.

On the other hand, the Meta-owned company says it will undermine user privacy as the details of conversations between two people are not even available to the company.

Government asks WhatsApp to share details

The Indian Express report adds that the basis for WhatsApp to request the original sender of messages is the deepfakes of politicians that often circulate on the messaging platform. The government could also direct the company to share the identity of people who share such videos for the first time under the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021.

A senior government official told Indian Express, “It’s not about partisanship. The videos in question depicted deepfakes of politicians from different political parties. Such fake videos of politicians from across the political aisle have been brought to our notice, which we believe can cause harm to electoral integrity in India. So we are planning to send a first originator notice to WhatsApp.”