The government is proposing a new law to intercept encrypted messages and calls on platforms such as WhatsApp- Technology News, Firstpost

F . CrewSeptember 23, 2022, 12:53:22 IST

The Government of India has proposed a new law allowing it to intercept encrypted messages, calls and video calls on platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Meet, Signal, etc.

A new telecoms bill was uploaded on Wednesday stating that the government wants to give investigative authorities the ability to circumvent encryption provided by many OTT telecom services, Like WhatsAppand Signal and Telegram.

In the bill, communication services are defined as anything related to broadcasting, email, voice mail, video communication, voice communication services and other similar Internet services.

The Indian government is seeking public opinions on the draft.

Modern users who are aware of privacy and security concerns always want to go for services that End-to-end encryption. This is why you will see companies like Meta spending billions of ads just to say their services have this functionality. Platforms like Signal and Telegram were also able to take off and capture a large portion of the WhatsApp instant messaging market because communication on these platforms is encrypted.

The proposed law will have far-reaching implications for an industry that now prioritizes user safety and data privacy.

Part of the draft states that the state and/or central government may circumvent encryption “when any public emergency occurs or in the interest of public safety.”

Any service can be added to the profile and this can give the government access to all encrypted chats, voice calls, video calls and more. Under Section 24 of the draft, the government or any of its representatives can claim access “when any public emergency occurs or in the interest of public safety.” It remains to be seen if this draft gets the nod and if so, how tech companies will respond.

If WhatsApp and Signal have to comply with these rules, they will have to get rid of encrypted messages. Or they can simply close the store in India, Similar to many VPN operators that have exited the Indian market.

Earlier this year, several VPN companies left India after passing a law requiring them to keep a record of their user data and share it with authorities when asked to do so. Several prominent VPN providers have shut down their servers in India As a protest, with some exiting the Indian market altogether.