Deleting WhatsApp messages could become illegal under India’s new encryption policy!

New Delhi: Indian government has formulated a new policy to ensure that its law enforcement agencies have easy access to encrypted information. But with this, your sense of privacy and security will remain at stake.

With this policy, the government aims to keep a check on the use of the technology by specifying the algorithms and the length of the encryption keys used by different categories of people.

Consumers will also be required to store the plain texts of encrypted information for 90 days from the date of a transaction and provide the text to agencies when required under the laws of the country. Generally, all the modern messaging services like WhatsApp, Viber, Line, Google Chat, Yahoo messenger etc, come with high level of encryption and many a time security agencies find it hard to intercept these messages.

The policy adds that citizens and businesses must save all encrypted messages (including personal or unofficial ones) and their unencrypted (plaintext) copies for 90 days. Henceforth, under this policy you will be required to not delete your WhatsApp messages and other mails.

Businesses are also expected to maintain encrypted and plaintext (unscrambled) copies of all their communication, and share their encryption keys with the government authorities when asked.

The government has invited comments from the public on the policy by Oct. 16.