iWorld
‘Don’t WhatsApp users’ data to FB’
MUMBAI: WhatsApp’s revised privacy policy has been rejected by the Delhi High Court on Friday. With a few safeguards, the online messaging platform’s modified policy was originally scheduled to come into effect on 25 September and proposed to share information of users with the parent company Facebook and affiliate entities.
This order came in response to a public interest litigation filed by the Over-The-Top (OTT) platform users against changes in the messaging service’s policy that took effect on 25 August. The order was given by the division bench of justices G Rohini and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal. WhatsApp has been directed not to share with Facebook information of users who would deactivate their accounts as well as the existing users up to September 25 to protect their interest.
The bench said that, keeping in view that the issue relating to the existence of an individual’s right of privacy as a distinct basis of a cause of action is yet to be decided by a larger bench of the Supreme Court, it was considering it appropriate to issue the said directions. WhatsApp had earlier informed the court that, when a user account was deleted, the information of that person was no longer retained on its servers.
The platform has been directed to erase all information, data and details of users who choose to delete their accounts. The bench has also prohibited the messaging service from sharing any data or information acquired from users who decide to remain post the date mentioned.
The aggrieved users had also sought for directions to be issued to the Centre and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to consider the issues regarding the functioning of applications like WhatsApp and take an appropriate decision as to whether it is feasible to bring the same under the statutory regulatory framework.
iWorld
Karnataka weighs phone ban for under-16s
State consults university heads as Goa and Andhra Pradesh examine similar curbs on minors’ online access
BENGALURU: Karnataka may soon tell teenagers to put their phones away. The Congress-led state government is considering a ban on mobile phone use for students below 16, arguing that social media addiction is warping young minds, denting academic performance and fuelling wider social ills. The proposal is under active discussion, with chief minister Siddaramaiah seeking the views of vice chancellors from state-run universities on whether minors’ access to mobile phones on campuses should be curtailed.
“Today we are discussing this, and as you are all the vice chancellors here, I seek your opinion. Children are falling prey to drugs. Also, in line with various other countries, like Australia, there is a thought to ban mobile phones among students. I want your opinion on this. We are looking at this,” Siddaramaiah said.
The chief minister pointed to what he described as a growing obsession with social media among students. Excessive exposure, he warned, is affecting behaviour, education outcomes and mental health, while increasing vulnerability to drug exposure.
The debate is not confined to Karnataka. Priyank Kharge, electronics and IT/BT minister, told the legislative assembly that the state is consulting stakeholders on ensuring responsible use of artificial intelligence and social media, particularly by children, according to PTI.
Elsewhere, Goa is reportedly examining a proposal to bar children under 16 from accessing platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X. In Andhra Pradesh, Nara Lokesh, education minister, has signalled that tighter curbs are under consideration. He has cited online harassment of women and the corrosive effects of excessive screen time on children’s attention spans and academic performance.
Lokesh said the state has commissioned a study of legal frameworks to ensure age-appropriate access to online platforms. The government has also invited Meta Platforms, X Corp., Google and ShareChat to an upcoming Group of Ministers meeting to review global best practice and explore ways to make social media safer for women and children.
“Trust in social media is breaking down. Children are slipping into relentless usage, affecting their attention spans and education. Women are facing non-stop online abuse. This cannot be ignored. The Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to act. In the meeting of the Group of Ministers on Social Media, we have ordered a study of legal frameworks for age-appropriate access,” Lokesh said in a post on X.
From Bengaluru to Amaravati, the message is sharpening. The smartphone, once a classroom companion, is fast becoming a political flashpoint. For India’s under-16s, the scroll may soon come with a stop sign.
