Sunny Dua
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – domestic intelligence and security service of the United States of America (USA) which is its principal federal law enforcement agency had once asked Apple – an American company to decode a suspect’s mobile phone which was categorically refused by Apple Inc. The FBI then had to engage an Israeli firm to decode it for them. The case speaks of volume of privacy or secrecy that the internet or mobile companies maintain to win over trust of their customers. But how red this leaves government could also be well understood.
In this particular case, both native investigating agency FBI as well as Apple Inc. – multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, America had locked horns. The question arises that if an American company couldn’t do anything for its own investigating agency how could WhatsApp Inc. another social media company based in Mountain View, California, America can do any good to India or its investigating agencies located off-shore in case of any emergency.
This is the reason why India wants to tame WhatsApp to the extent that while the company continues to provide its 200 million plus monthly active users in India freedom to use the platform, a check on the circulation of fake news that had led to violence and even deaths of innocents in many parts of India may end. Few hours of ban on WhatsApp or internet creates furor amongst youngsters here who find it as an obstacle in their freedom of speech and continue to cite clauses from Indian constitution to get a free hand at the social sites.
However, another gruesome side of the story is that several antisocial elements, militants and those into revenge use the platform to instigate violence, spread hatred or even blackmail their victims. There’s no denying the fact that WhatsApp in India is giving freedom to do a lot of productive work as well but its misuse is forcing government to tame it to the extent that precious lives are saved, peace maintained, harmony not harmed and most importantly those into spreading hate are checked.
I personally believe that having a check on the social media is far better than not having it at all. WhatsApp services are completely banned in China and Iran. The services were banned temporarily in Turkey, Brazil and Sri Lanka to check crimes related to internet while Uganda has already banned WhatsApp. So we the Indians will have to mend our ways or face a complete ban. Better would be to allow the company to set up their office in India and regulate the services which will be a win-win situation for WhatsApp Inc., the users and of course the government.
It was this year only that India witnessed murders of innocent people who were either labeled as cow smugglers or child abductors. False and frivolous messages were circulated thereby instigating mobs to lynch these boys. Several pictures and videos are circulated stating them to be of violence in Srinagar while the incidents had taken place somewhere else. Such fake news and manipulated pictures not only create unrest but also leave us all misguided and disillusioned. On Wednesday the 22nd we celebrated Eid but came to know that we can send messages to only five people at a given point of time. Little inconvenient it was but then the company’s policy and government restriction at least ensured a regulated message sharing service in India. Restricting number of forwards at one go or labeling contents that are not original as forwards if can satisfy government and ensure check on misuse of WhatsApp then there shouldn’t be any reservations.
It was very recently when a WhatsApp group in Jammu having many retired and serving officials, journalists, social activists and politics objected to a message. Arguments and counter-arguments led to quite an unpleasant behavior but the kind of damage the message had done and divided people on caste, creed, region and religion basis was enough to tell the tale. The message didn’t serve any purpose but just depicted how much hatred we nurture as an individual or while sitting amongst birds of same feather.
Seeing such incidents, India has recently asked messaging platform WhatsApp to comply with laws of the land and establish their corporate entity in the country to ensure accountability. As desired if WhatsApp appoints a grievance officer in India and development of technology solutions to combat spread of violent or fake messages at least we will be able to bring to justice the hatemongers. Mob-lynching or revenge porn have taken to many lives and time has come to bring an end to this all either by taming WhatsApp or having it banned. The choice more or less lies with users as well.
Though WhatsApp CEO Chris Daniels for the moment is tightlipped over all issues concerning India including keeping entire data in India besides having a mechanism to locate origin of message so that government can nail culprits into mischievous designs yet he will have to come out with a concrete policy to satisfy ministry of electronics and IT or else face China like action. There are many domestic social sites that are struggling to get a foothold and any misadventure by WhatsApp can give a fillip to them. We are not going to lose anything except embracing a change which should be read as writing on the wall.
Today children, businessmen, officials, journalists, families and friends in India are all dependent upon WhatsApp and are at ease to do their works or stay connected but unless we mend our ways government will be forced to force WhatsApp Inc to take measures that would not go down our throats well. Several countries have already dumped Google dubbing it as a spyware for the simple reason that every search on it sends out habits and inquisitiveness to main server besides sensitive government offices expose themselves to outer world for no reasons.
China had already banned Google from operating from its soil and promoted a local search engine Baidu. Likewise if WhatsApp doesn’t come out with any India-specific plans in near future our tech giants are ready to take over the reins from here onwards. Many believe that search engines and social sites act as spyware and many countries are not able to protect their information being shared worldwide. This being one reason India needs to tame WhatsAapp and for maintaining an order in the system as another major reason behind the move that government has initiated.
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