Blocking of WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Will Hurt Biz Interests and Harm Users: COAI

The Apex industry body, COAI has issued its views against blocking of mobile apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, etc. The COAI cautioned DoT that the move would not only impinge on freedom of speech and expression of users, but also hit routine day-to-day communications, commercial activity, and business interests. The mobile association has written back to the Telecom Department, which had sought the industry’s views on technical measures which can be adopted for blocking mobile apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc in situations where national security and public order are under threat.

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In its three-page reply to the Telecom Department, the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) has cited technical constraints, flagged risks of over-blocking, and cautioned that blocking must be targeted “only at content or account level” to “minimise the impact on innocent users”.

COAI Believes Blocking of Mobile Apps Will Hurt Users

“Blocking of mobile applications as a whole to prohibit the circulation of certain content would likely impinge the principles of freedoms of speech, expression and information by blocking millions of other users who have not shared or originated any unlawful content,” COAI said, as reported by PTI.

Taking such an approach will be “disproportionate” and will harm the constitutional rights of users at large, it had argued.

“Only specific content or users responsible for circulating unlawful content must be blocked instead of the entire mobile application blocking,” said COAI, whose members include telecom service providers like Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, and Reliance Jio.