WhatsApp New Rule: Last week, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) made it mandatory for users to restrict access to popular messaging apps to only active SIM cards. Now, in a fresh directive, the department has instructed social media platforms — including WhatsApp — to automatically log users out every six hours.
What is happening?
A few days back, DoT directed popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Snapchat, ShareChat, JioChat, Arattai, and Josh — to link user access strictly to active SIM cards. Under this mandate, the subscriber identity module (SIM) used during registration must be tied to the user’s account on these web-based platforms. Within 90 days, users will be unable to use these apps unless the original SIM is present in the device. Each web-based platform must submit a compliance report within four months, the DoT circular said.
Since the service must remain connected to the SIM in the phone, WhatsApp Web and other similar web services will have to log users out every six hours once the rules come into effect, the DoT added.
How will this affect users?
This change will disrupt the seamless multi-device experience that many people used to get by keeping WhatsApp Web running throughout the workday.
Technology companies said constant SIM checks and six-hour logouts would erode user privacy, disrupt multi-device functionality and complicate access while travelling, while telecom operators supported the move.
Why is this important?
The government felt that this move was necessary to prevent misuse of messaging apps, as cyber fraudsters often exploited WhatsApp without a SIM from outside India. Making SIM binding mandatory provides a way to trace activity back to the physical subscriber.
These rules derive from the Telecommunication Cyber Security Amendment Rules, 2025, which introduced the idea of Telecom Identified User Entity.
Under the revised rules, platforms will need access to the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) stored on the SIM, requiring global services like WhatsApp to re-engineer parts of their systems for Indian users.
Doonited Affiliated: Syndicate News Hunt
This report has been published as part of an auto-generated syndicated wire feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been modified or edited by Doonited
