"The directions, which app providers including Meta, Telegram, and Signal must comply with within 90 days of their issuance on November 28, require messaging apps to remain tied to the SIM card used at sign-up. The web and desktop versions of these apps also require users to log out every six hours and re-link their devices via a QR code to regain access."
""Mandatory continuous SIM-device binding and periodic logout ensure that every active account and web session is anchored to a live, KYC-verified SIM, restoring traceability of numbers used in phishing, investment, digital arrest, and loan scams," the telecom ministry said in a press release earlier this month, adding that India suffered cyber-fraud losses exceeding ₹228 billion (about $2.5 billion) in 2024 alone."
"New Delhi says the measures are aimed at curbing rising cyber fraud in India, the world's most populous nation. Digital advocacy groups, policy experts, and industry groups representing major digital platforms - including Meta - have warned, however, that the approach risks regulatory overreach and could disrupt legitimate use, especially in a country where WhatsApp has evolved into everyday infrastructure for personal communication and small-business commerce."
India issued directions requiring major messaging apps to bind accounts to the SIM used at sign-up and to force periodic web/desktop logouts with QR re-linking. App providers including Meta, Telegram, and Signal must comply within 90 days of the November 28 issuance. The government says the measures aim to curb rising cyber fraud and cited losses exceeding ₹228 billion in 2024. The rules exempt cases where the SIM remains in the device and the user is roaming. Advocacy groups and industry representatives warn the measures could constitute regulatory overreach and disrupt legitimate personal and business use of messaging platforms.
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