WHATs-Up GROUP ADMIN WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF MEMBERS CAUTION BY ADMIN (?)
Bureau,Odishabarta
DELHI:Government of India IT Cyber cell categorically ordered with warning to the WhatsApp group admin will be held responsible, if the group members posts communal or fake news related to COVID19.
The law says; the WhatsApp group admins be held liable for messages by members unless until emergency but the administrator cannot order or direct to any members. Simply he is the custodian of the group.
According to source, recently the Maharashtra police cyber cell had issued prohibitory orders of warning in such manner. The police has also warned of stern action for spreading rumours, posting of information without any strong supporting database and communal messages on any social media platforms.
One article published by LiveLaw, Prasanth Sugathan, Lawyer, Kerala High Court says that, “A WhatsApp group admin has only a limited power to add or remove members from the group.
Unless she/He has abetted or assisted in posting an objectionable message, she cannot be held liable for any post made by a member of the group. Of course, if a group has been formed for an illegal purpose like sharing child abuse videos then the admin can be held liable.
He says that Section 68 of the Bombay Police Act, 1951 states that everyone shall be bound to conform to the reasonable directions of the police officer given in fulfilled of any of his duties under this act. However, he adds, that the provision does not give them the power to put a set of directions for WhatsApp group admins for non compliance of the directions.”
After the corona virus outbreak, the state has seen surge in communal messages and rumors being circulated on social media related to novel corona virus. In the past, police have arrested many people for spreading hatred and rumors on social media. However, now, the group admin will also be held responsible for the members’ activity.
The Mumbai police order stated that amidst corona virus pandemic it has been observed that there is widespread dissemination of commok, Tiktok, and Instagram. It further stated that such content can cause panic among the masses and could lead to law and order situations in the state.
They have also asked group admins to change the setting to admin mode so that only admins can post messages that will help in the curb of spreading communal hate, rumors and misleading information related to COVID19.
The advisory further stated that in the case of multiple admin, the setting should be changed to single admin but the admin not authorised to make posting like Copy-Paste of his own choice. That may treated as self publicity of the Group Admin.
The flaws would make it possible to “intercept and manipulate messages sent in both private and group conversations, giving attackers the power to create and spread misinformation from what appear to be trusted sources,” the researchers noted. Alter and reword the text of user’s response, thereby “putting words in their mouth.”
The researchers said they alerted WhatsApp about the flaws in August last year, and that the company addressed only the third vulnerability. But they added the other two remain exploitable to this day and could be potentially misused by cybercriminals for malicious intentions.
#agencies & Wiki Input
