The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Omanakuttam, which raised concerns about vulnerabilities in an Android app allowing unauthorized media file replacements. According to the PIL, the integrity, privacy, and security of the messaging app WhatsApp is at stake. In the wake of the concern, it seeks directions from the central government to ban operations with immediate effect as it does not comply with the new IT rules (Information Technology Rules).
However, the bench of justices Arvind Kumar and M M Sundresh was not inclined towards entertaining the PIL filed by the software engineer Omanakuttan KG from Kerala.
The PIL alleged that WhatsApp does not abide by the fundamental rights of Indian citizens mentioned under the Constitutionโs Article 21 posing a potential threat to the security of the nation. The Kerala resident argued that such vulnerability could be make it easier to breach the integrity, security, and privacy of communications even by people not proficient with technological skills.
Petitioner Omanakuttan had previously approached the Kerala High Court, seeking directives for the central government to ban WhatsApp over its non-compliance with regulations. However, the court dismissed the plea, deeming the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) as โpremature.โ
The 2021 IY Rules mandates social media arbitrators like WhatsApp, Twitter (now X), and Facebook to trace the message on contention. On the contrary, WhatsApp questioned this derivative in the Delhi High Court.
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