The policy also wanted users to store all encrypted communication for at least 90 days and make it available to security agencies, if required, in text form. He said that the objective of encryption is not related to WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media messaging platforms used by common man. However, we have to acknowledge that cyberspace transactions are rising enormously and the government need a new policy to make them safer.
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Prasad also admitted that there have been “some uncalled for misgivings”, which prompted him to ask the GoI to “withdraw the Draft Encryption Policy and examine it carefully”. The intrinsic policy in the draft still remains.
However, following public and social media outcry, an amendment was made excluding “mass encryption products” like the above mentioned services from the policy.
The new policy allows the government to determine the encryption standards, which even online business giants like WhatsApp and Google must follow.
Clarifying the government’s stand, Prasad said that the purport of the Encryption Policy relates “only to those who encrypt, not to ordinary consumers”.
Prasad said the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promoted social media activism.
Several countries have felt the need for an encryption policy because of the boom in e-commerce and e-governance, he remarked.
The stated mission of the policy is to provide confidentiality of information in cyber space for individuals, protect sensitive or proprietary information, ensure reliability and integrity of nationally-critical information systems and networks.
“Union government supports the freedom of social media“.
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This implies that deleting messages that are not more than three months old from commonly used instant messengers, like WhatsApp, Viber, Hike, and from e-mail clients such as Gmail, would be illegal. The draft, issued by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, would apply to everyone, including government departments, academic institutions, citizens and for all kinds of communications – be it official or personal.
