WhatsApp to Block Access if SIM is Removed from Phone, Government Changes Rules to Prevent Fraud

WhatsApp New Rule: If you are among the millions who chat on WhatsApp Web via laptop or computer while working in the office, this news might spoil your mood. The facility to log in once and use WhatsApp for weeks without interruption is about to end.

The government's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a new directive that will completely change your chatting experience. Let's find out what the whole matter is.

WhatsApp Web Will Log Out Every 6 Hours

According to the new directive, apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal will have to change their security policies. The biggest impact will be on web users. Now, if you are using WhatsApp on a computer, the system will automatically log you out every 6 hours.

This means you will have to take out your phone at least twice during your workday and log in again by scanning the QR code. This rule will apply not only to WhatsApp but also to other apps like Telegram and Snapchat.

WhatsApp, Telegram... Will Stop Working If SIM is Removed from Phone

The new technology that the government is implementing is technically called 'SIM binding'. Let's understand this in simple terms.

What happens now?

Once you activate WhatsApp on your phone, the app continues to work even if you remove the SIM card or use Wi-Fi. But the new rule states that "the app will only work if the SIM is inside the phone."

Companies have been instructed that the connection between the app and the SIM card must be continuous. If the SIM card is removed from the phone, the app will stop working.

Why is the Government Doing This?

You might wonder why all this hassle is necessary. The answer is security. The government has stated that online fraud has increased significantly these days. Scammers often use WhatsApp from numbers whose SIM cards they do not possess, or they operate from outside the country. The government wants the SIM card to be present in the same device from which the app is being used, so that fraudsters can be easily tracked.

When Will the Rule Come into Effect?

The Department of Telecommunications has given these tech companies (WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, etc.) 90 days (approximately 3 months) to update their systems.

Those Travelling Abroad Will Face Difficulties

This decision could increase the troubles for travellers. Until now, people used to go abroad, get a local SIM card there, and their Indian number-based WhatsApp would continue to work on Wi-Fi. Industry experts say that this facility may end after the new rule. If the Indian SIM is not in the phone, the old WhatsApp might not be accessible.

Overall, the government's intention is to strengthen cyber security, but for the common user, it could prove to be more of a 'headache' than a 'convenience'. It remains to be seen how global companies like WhatsApp will integrate this Indian rule into their systems.