Sandes App
A new indigenously developed alternative to WhatsApp is now being used by some government officials. The app, called Sandes, was announced the previous year by the Indian government as an alternative to WhatsApp and is now being beta tested by the government officials to look for any bugs and give feedback.
The gims.gov.in page for the app offers some insight into the app, including the log-in methods that will be available. Although, the details of these clickable options are classified, as the portal is encrypted and only selected government officials can access them.
It was initially speculated that the app would be called GIMS (Government Instant Messaging System) but has instead been christened with a local name.
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In a major reversal of its notification, WhatsApp announced on Saturday, 16 January, “no one will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8” for not accepting the messaging platform’s updated privacy policy and terms of service.
In a privacy policy update on 5 January, WhatsApp had given its 2 billion users across the world time till 8 February to accept its updated policy or be unable to use the app.
Following widespread pushback against the ultimatum and fears of privacy compromise, Whatsapp announced on Saturday in a blog it was “moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms.” It further added that users would be allwoed “to review the policy at their own pace.”
Under fire over its recent privacy policy update, WhatsApp on Thursday said it is open to answering any questions from the government on the issue and is aware that the company will have to “compete”
Parliamentary panel likely to summon Facebook officials over WhatsApp privacy concerns
Besides Facebook, the parliamentary committee, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, may also summon micro-blogging site Twitter
BusinessToday.In | January 13, 2021 | Updated 08:35 IST
The Parliamentary Panel on Information Technology is likely to take up the issues regarding the new privacy policy by Facebook-owned WhatsApp.
As per the latest WhatsApp s privacy policy, a user s data will be shared with parent company Facebook. Although this decision by WhatsApp was rolled out in 2016, users already on the platform before the acquisition had the choice of not sharing that data. That choice no longer exists.
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WhatsApp Privacy Fiasco: Company Reiterates Security Claim, But That s Not the Problem Anyway
In a new press statement, WhatsApp has reiterated the impact of end to end encryption, alongside trying to remind people that the recent policy update will have no effect on where your privacy stands at today.
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WhatsApp has issued a new statement in a bid to remind its users that despite its recent disclosure of a changed operation policy and terms of service, the personal privacy of users on the app has not changed with the update. After its latest policy change highlighting the removal of an option to opt out of Facebook’s data collection from WhatsApp, users have taken note of the privacy concern and started switching to apps that do not sell data in as rampant a way as the Facebook group. Now, WhatsApp’s latest statement has yet again attempted to convince users that their privacy and security are still intact.