Others tried a different approach, creating phishing websites to trick you into handing over personal information. In some cases, hackers were able to install WhatsApp spyware due to a vulnerability. If you are unfortunate enough to have downloaded one of these, the installation can distribute malware or otherwise compromise your computer. There have been instances of attackers passing off malicious software as WhatsApp desktop applications. That isn’t true of the wider internet.Ĭriminals, hackers, and scammers have all taken advantage of this. When you search for WhatsApp on those stores, it’s generally clear which app is the official one.

The app stores on phones-the App Store on iOS and Google Play Store on Android-are more carefully regulated than the internet at large. For years, WhatsApp has allowed you to open a website, or download a desktop app, scan a code with the app on your phone, and use WhatsApp on your computer. This is plainly not acceptable,' he added.WhatsApp’s enormous user base makes it an obvious target for cybercriminals, many of who focus on WhatsApp Web. If an attack takes place on Capitol Hill, then social media supports police action, but if there's an aggressive attack on Red Fort, then you've double standards.

'All social media platforms are welcome in India but there shouldn't be double standards. Prasad said that the government wants social media platforms to introduce a mechanism for better verification of users.'Social media platforms upon being asked either by a court order or a govt authority will be required to disclose the first originator of mischievous tweet or message as the case may be,' Prasad said. The focus of this guideline is on self-regulation.” We are trusting the platforms to follow these regulations.

We have framed these rules under the existing IT Act. Talking about the new rules, MeITY minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said during a press conference, “We have not framed any new law. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) announced a new set of rules for the OTT platforms, social media platforms, and digital media.

Whatsapp number of users