The Government of India’s Department of Telecommunications has brought a new rule for apps like WhatsApp and Signal. The rule is called mandatory SIM binding. This means these apps will only work if the same SIM card used for registration is present and active on the phone.
If the SIM is not inside the device or is not active, the app must stop working. The government took this step because some people were using these apps without a SIM in the device, which is causing cybersecurity problems and online fraud.
SIM Binding Rules For WhatsApp & Other Chat Apps
The new SIM binding rules say that apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Arattai, Snapchat, ShareChat and JioChat must continuously check whether the same registered SIM card is still on the mobile device.
The checking must not stop at any time. If the registered SIM card is removed or a different SIM is used, the app must immediately stop working.
The Department of Telecommunications warns that if these apps do not follow the rules, strict action will be taken under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, and other laws.
The government believes these rules will protect users from cyber fraud and stop criminals who misuse telecom services from outside the country.
How SIM Binding Rules Change WhatsApp Web & Other Web Versions
The rules also apply to web versions of these apps. The department says that these services must automatically log out users every six hours. For example, WhatsApp Web users will have to sign in again every six hours to continue using the service on a laptop or computer.
According to the government, this step became necessary because cyber criminals were taking advantage of non-SIM usage to commit fraud. Discussions on this matter have been happening for the last few months with major service providers.
After seeing the seriousness of the problem, the government decided to make the directions official. The main purpose of this decision is to stop the misuse of telecommunication identifiers and to keep the telecom ecosystem secure for everyone.
