Centre to review charges against WhatsApp over mic privacy
What's the story
Things don't seem to be going well for WhatsApp.
The Meta-owned app has been recently accused of using microphones on devices without users' consent.
On May 6, Foad Dabiri, who is the Director of Engineering at Twitter, said WhatsApp had been using the microphone in the background while he was asleep.
Now, the Centre has said it will examine the charge pressed against WhatsApp.
Context
Why does this story matter?
WhatsApp has landed in trouble for the same reason that it has faced issues in the past: privacy.
To recall, the app was accused by several users across the globe of sharing sensitive user information, like contact number, and location, with its parent company Meta.
The app, however, was quick to take action and started widely advocating its end-to-end encryption policies.
Issue
Some users claimed to face the same issue as Dabiri
Taking to Twitter, Dabiri reported on May 6 that WhatsApp was using microphones in the background, providing a screenshot of the timeline of the app's activity.
Some users commented on his post saying that they were facing similar issues.
"I've noticed the same and also noticed ads related to conversations I've had with people...Disabled permissions...," said one user.
Twitter Post
Dabiri took to Twitter to report the issue
WhatsApp has been using the microphone in the background, while I was asleep and since I woke up at 6AM (and that's just a part of the timeline!) What's going on? pic.twitter.com/pNIfe4VlHV
— Foad Dabiri (@foaddabiri) May 6, 2023
Response
Users have full control of their mic settings: WhatsApp
In response, WhatsApp clarified that "users have full control of their mic settings" and emphasized that the app only accesses the mic if the user grants permission.
The company said that the issue could be due to "a bug on Android" that "misattributes information" in the "Privacy dashboard."
WhatsApp has also asked Google to "investigate and remediate" the matter.
Government
The Centre termed the situation 'unacceptable'
In response to the WhatsApp privacy row, the Indian government has said that it will probe the charges made against the app.
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the Centre will be examining the matter immediately and will act upon "any violation of privacy."
"This is an unacceptable breach and violation of Privacy," said the minister in a tweet.
Twitter Post
We will be examining this immediately: Centre
This is an unacceptable breach n violation of #Privacy
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) May 10, 2023
We will be examinig this immdtly and will act on any violation of privacy even as new Digital Personal Data protection bill #DPDP is being readied.@GoI_MeitY @_DigitalIndia https://t.co/vtFrST4bKP
Musk
Elon Musk advised users to trust nothing
Retweeting Dabiri's post, Elon Musk said, "WhatsApp cannot be trusted."
It is no secret that Musk is not particularly fond of Meta-owned social media apps.
In the past, he has openly asked users to switch to WhatsApp's rival messaging app Signal, claiming the latter is more secure.
"Trust Nothing, Not even nothing," Musk said in a separate tweet.
Twitter Post
WhatsApp cannot be trusted: Musk
WhatsApp cannot be trusted https://t.co/3gdNxZOLLy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2023