- WhatsApp has established the resource centre as a separate website.
- The messaging application emphasises its built-in security measures.
- In India, WhatsApp has a large user base of around 400 million people.
The 'Safety in India' resource centre, which is available as a standalone portal, contains subjects related to internet safety, privacy, and security. It also contains information on how WhatsApp users may protect themselves against cyber frauds. According to the firm, the resource hub is intended to raise awareness about the many safety precautions and built-in features that users may utilise on the platform.
WhatsApp has separated the content on the resource centre into many parts. It contains information regarding end-to-end encryption, which is touted as a feature that helps safeguard a user's messages, photographs, videos, voice messages, documents, status updates, and calls from third parties.
The centre also emphasises product features such as two-factor authentication, the option to lock WhatsApp with Touch ID and Face ID on the iPhone, and fingerprint lock on Android. It also mentions features like forward limitations and extra limits for viral messages, which WhatsApp initially deployed in India to curb the spread of fake news and disinformation.
WhatsApp's resource hub also promotes features like account barring and reporting, message-level reporting, and group admin capabilities. It also discusses recently added features such as Disappearing messages, View Once, and End-to-end encrypted backups.
Along with describing various user security and privacy-focused features, the resource portal highlights actions that WhatsApp is required to do under IT regulations in order to avoid misuse in the nation. These include the selection of a grievance officer and the distribution of monthly reports.
WhatsApp also claims to have "zero tolerance" for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other forms of sexual abuse on its platform. It also claims to submit illegal content and accounts to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which forwards these CyberTips to law enforcement throughout the world, including India's National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
The resource portal also discusses how WhatsApp is dealing with disinformation. However, the network has yet to be successful in combating fake news on the site.
WhatsApp's centre contains many advice to help protect users against various scams, spams, and impersonation, including avoiding providing one-time passwords with unknown third parties and carefully scrutinising messages that seek for personal information, money, or other assistance.
The site also has a few clarifications concerning several WhatsApp-related problems, such as conversation leaks and traceability. Furthermore, it closes the material by stating that WhatsApp is working closely with the country's law enforcement agencies to assess their demands in accordance with existing laws and the app's regulations.
"We hope that this resource will provide users with the knowledge they need to protect their privacy and explore the internet securely," Abhijit Bose, WhatsApp's Head of India, said in a prepared statement. "We have made major product enhancements over the years to assist improve user security and privacy." We have constantly invested in cutting-edge technology, artificial intelligence, data scientists, specialists, and procedures to ensure user safety, in addition to ongoing product innovation."
In India, WhatsApp has a large user base of around 400 million people. As a result, it makes sense for the organisation to establish a dedicated centre to outline the policies and processes it takes to ensure user safety. Despite its efforts, WhatsApp is being chastised for failing to completely stop the transmission of fraudulent messages on the app, which has previously been used to propagate hatred.
WhatsApp stated earlier this month that it had blocked over two million accounts in the nation in December. During the month, the firm received 528 grievance complaints, according to the corporation.
