x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   Forces thwart Pak’s Hamas-style attack on Jammu | In Pak terrorists are given state funerals: Foreign Secretary | Terror nexus exposed: Al-Qaeda backs Pak | Jammu mosques, madrassas open for displaced border residents | Amid cross border shelling, CM Omar reviews situation in border districts | Breeding Ground for fidayeen, links to Hamas, stockpiled NATO arms | PM meets secretaries, stresses on alertness | Masood Azhar’s brother killed: BJP | LG Sinha chairs high-level meeting, reviews preparedness | Army uses Harpy drones to target enemy air defence systems | Pak attempts to attack 15 places in North, Western India foiled | 100 terrorists, aides killed in strikes: Rajnath at All-Party Meeting | SDRF conducts Mock Drill Exercise at IIT Jammu | Developed India strikes back at provocateurs by entering their hideouts: CM Yogi | Cash Row: CJI recommends impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma, says sources | Amit terms AI as biggest disruptive tech of 21st Century in MZU National Workshop | Salman Sagar appointed as vice provincial president of JKNC | SET exam in J&K, Ladakh UTs postponed | ASCOMS & Hospital to provide free treatment to border shelling victims | Rs 300 crore BrahMos Missile Unit set to be inaugurated in Lucknow on May 11 | Any military attack on India will be met with very firm response: EAM Jaishankar | Vivek Bali Expresses Deep Grief Over Loss of Lives in Poonch Due to Pakistan Shelling | Reasi police foil illegal transportation of Khair logs in Katra area | 84 Bn CRPF Provides Relief to Flood-Affected Families | DC Jammu Reviews Zonal Master Plan for Ramnagar Eco-Sensitive Zone | Horticulture Department Kathua organises exposure visit | DC conducts on site inspection of restoration works on NH-44 | Power shut down in several areas | GMC Doda organises Blood Donation Camp | HPS participates in annual “Save Water, Save Birds” campaign | World Red Cross Day observed at Udhampur | Reasi Administration celebrates World Red Cross Day | ACR reviews implementation of E-Waste Management Action Plan | Poonch Administration steps up restoration of Essential Services, Supplies | Arushi Kotwal of Doda Honoured by Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya | Mini-Super Bazar M-PACS Maitra inaugurated in Ramban | DC Reasi felicitates JK Board Class 10th 12th Toppers | Back Issues  
 
news details
IT Ministry to send notice to WhatsApp over international spam calls
5/11/2023 11:03:11 PM

Agencies

New Delhi, May 11: The IT Ministry will send a notice to WhatsApp on the issue of spam calls from unknown international numbers, Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said today, asserting that the onus of ensuring user safety lies with the digital platforms.
The digital platforms are responsible and accountable for ensuring the safety of ‘digital nagriks’, the minister said, adding that the government will respond to every instance of alleged misuse or alleged breach of users’ privacy.
The minister’s comments assume significance as WhatsApp users in India have reported a massive surge in incoming international spam calls over the past few days. Many users complained on Twitter that a major chunk of these spam calls had country codes belonging to Indonesia (+62), Vietnam (+84), Malaysia (+60), Kenya (+254) and Ethiopia (+251
Mr Chandrasekhar on Tuesday said the ministry is taking note of the matter and will send a notice to WhatsApp on the issue.
“The Ministry is taking note of it, they will send them a notice,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event organised by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI).
He also said that the government is mulling guidelines on what should be permissions for preloaded apps. The minister made it clear that the platforms are responsible for ensuring the safety and trust of users. “I have said repeatedly that openness trust, safety and accountability are the responsibility of platforms who deliver to digital nagriks,” the minister noted.
If there is an issue of spam, it is certainly an issue WhatsApp should look at or any messenger platform should look at, he added.
“Government will respond to every alleged misuse or alleged breach of privacy,” he said.
One of the problems being examined at this point is also how these numbers are accessed by scammers.
“How are they able to identify which numbers are on WhatsApp...are they doing it blindly...is it some database they have got? If there is a database it is a violation of privacy, or if not are they are doing it through a bot... sending messages to random numbers... But that is certainly something platforms will be asked to look at,” he said.
Chandrasekhar tweeted on Wednesday that the government will investigate a claim that WhatsApp accessed the microphone of smartphone users while the phone was not in use.
In a tweet, the minister had said the government will examine the alleged breach of privacy even as the new Digital Personal Data Protection Bill was being readied.
This followed a claim that WhatsApp accessed a user’s microphone while he was sleeping.
WhatsApp responded saying it has been in touch with the Twitter engineer over the last 24 hours, who posted an issue with his Pixel phone and WhatsApp.
“We believe this is a bug on Android that misattributes information in their Privacy Dashboard and have asked Google to investigate and remediate,” WhatsApp said in a tweet.
The company also claimed that users have full control over their mic settings.
To a question on some online gaming platforms opposing any idea of the self-regulatory organisation (SRO) backed by the association IAMAI, the minister said it has already been clarified during the consultation process that no existing industry organisation can be an SRO.
“SRO has to be notified by the Ministry, which means SRO has to be approved by the Ministry as meeting criteria laid down in online gaming rules. There will be SRO that will be formed...100 will apply, and three will be selected based on who is most transparent, inclusive and who represents most stakeholders and who is more credible,” the minister said.
On the draft digital personal data protection Bill, Mr Chandrasekhar said he is hopeful that it will be introduced in the coming session of Parliament.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU