Whatsapp

Skip to content 3 Dec 2025 Frequent SIM checks and six-hour logouts will change daily WhatsApp use across India. India plans to change how major messaging apps operate under new rules requiring SIM binding and frequent re-verification. The directive obliges platforms to confirm that the original SIM remains active, altering long-standing habits around device switching. Services have 90 days to comply with the order. The Department of Telecom says continuous SIM checks will reduce misuse by linking each account to a live subscriber identity. Companion tools such as WhatsApp Web will automatically log out every 6 hours. Users will need to relink sessions with a QR code to stay connected. The rules apply to apps that rely on phone numbers, including WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and local platforms. The approach mirrors SIM-bound verification used in banking apps in India. It adds a deeper security layer that goes beyond one-time codes and registration checks. The change may inconvenience people who use Wi-Fi-only tablets or older devices without an active SIM card. It also affects anyone who relies on WhatsApp Web for work or on multi-device setups under a single number. Messaging apps may need new login systems to ease the shift. Officials

NewsFlorian Wirtz: I'm happy to make my mark - I want to help the team Published 16 hours ago By Chris Shaw Florian Wirtz is eager to follow up a Player of the Match performance in which he 'made his mark' for Liverpool. The No.7 returned from a brief injury absence to help the Reds get back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory away at West Ham United on Sunday. An influential display saw the Germany international selected as Player of the Match by both supporters and the Premier League. Assessing the game at London Stadium, he underlined his desire to continue being impactful, with a home clash against Sunderland next up. You have to accept cookies in order to view this content on our site. "I was really happy to start, because I was out for two games," said Wirtz. "I was happy the manager decided to play me. "I tried to give my best and to help to turn it around that we start to win games again. I'm happy that I could give my best to this. "I was playing more as a No.10, I had the freedom to go to free spaces and create an

Subscribe to unlock this article Join FT Edit Only $49 a year Get 2 months free with an annual subscription at was $59.88 now $49 . Access to eight surprising articles a day, hand-picked by FT editors. For seamless reading, access content via the FT Edit page on FT.com and receive the FT Edit newsletter. Explore more offers. Trial $1 for 4 weeks Then $75 per month. Complete digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Cancel or change your plan anytime during your trial. Standard Digital $45 per month Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Pay a year upfront and save 20%. Premium Digital $75 per month Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%. Explore our full range of subscriptions. For individuals Discover all the plans currently available in your country For multiple readers Digital access for organisations. Includes exclusive features and content. Why the FT? See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. Find out why

Sorry, something went wrong. We're working on getting this fixed as soon as we can. Go back Meta © 2025 · Help

You don't have permission to access "http://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/tamil-nadu-shocker-man-kills-wife-posts-selfie-with-body-as-whatsapp-status-9727877" on this server. Reference #18.b1ed2117.1764589048.8e9fcddc https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.b1ed2117.1764589048.8e9fcddc

Synopsis Under the new rule, the DoT requires messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, to implement "SIM binding", i.e., linking of services to the SIM card used for registration via its IMSI identifier. If the original SIM is not present, access to these apps will be blocked 90 days from the directive's issuance. Under the same directive, web versions of these applications will log out periodically, no later than every six hours, forcing re-authentication via a QR code scan. Due to a new directive from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), WhatsApp Web will automatically log out users every six hours. The move has received mixed reactions. Under the new rule, the DoT requires messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, to implement "SIM binding", i.e., linking of services to the SIM card used for registration via its IMSI identifier. If the original SIM is not present, access to these apps will be blocked 90 days from the directive's issuance. Under the same directive, web versions of these applications will log out periodically, no later than every six hours, forcing re-authentication via a QR code scan. A user logs in to WhatsApp Web through a browser, by scanning the QR

Key points: SIM binding: Apps must stop working if the linked SIM is removed, replaced, or deactivated. Web logouts: WhatsApp Web and similar services will log you out automatically every six hours. Re-login via QR code will be required. Compliance: Apps have 90 days to implement the changes and 120 days to report compliance. Why it matters for travellers and expats If you’re traveling to India or are an expat using multiple devices: Apps may stop working on secondary devices or tablets without a SIM. Switching SIMs between devices frequently may cause intermittent access. Web versions of apps will require more frequent logins. Tip: Ensure your Indian SIM is active and your apps are updated before traveling to avoid interruptions. What the government wants The DoT has directed messaging apps to verify that the SIM card linked to the account is present at all times. If the SIM is removed, replaced, or deactivated, the app must stop functioning. Currently, most apps authenticate users only once during installation. Even if the SIM is changed or removed, the account continues to operate. The government says this loophole allows cybercriminals—especially those operating from abroad—to exploit inactive Indian numbers for fraud. Key requirements for

Published on: Nov 30, 2025 03:49 pm IST The government has already notified the Telecom Cyber Security Rules in 2024 and updated them again in 2025. The new SIM-binding rules will rewrite how Indians use their messaging apps. People will now no longer be able to run apps like WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal on a device without the active SIM card inside it. (FILES) This illustration photograph taken on April 11, 2023(AFP) That means no more using WhatsApp on a phone with a different SIM, no more shifting between devices freely, and far more frequent logouts on web versions of these messaging applications. The notification, issued on November 28, 2025, has come into force with immediate effect. Which issue is being addressed? “It has come to the notice of Central Government that some of the App Based Communication Services that are utilizing Mobile Number for identification of its customers/users or for provisioning or delivery of services, allows users to consume their services without availability of the underlying Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) within the device in which App Based Communication Services is running and this feature is posing challenge,” the document reads. The government has already notified the Telecom Cyber Security

MOSCOW: Russia said on Friday it was considering banning popular messaging service WhatsApp, accusing it of failing to prevent and suppress crime, as Moscow pushes Rus­sians to switch to state-backed digital services. Russia had blocked users from making calls on the platform in August, part of a broader crackdown on Western-owned social media that critics say is designed to force Russians onto domestic platforms. In a statement, Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said WhatsApp was being used to “organise and carry out terrorist acts in the country, to recruit perpetrators, and for fraud and other crimes against our citizens.” “If the messenger fails to comply with Russian legislation, it will be completely blo­cked,” it said. US technology giant Meta, which owns the messaging service, did not immediately comment. WhatsApp is one of the two most popular messaging services in Russia, alongside Telegram. Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2025

Russia's communication watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has accused Whatsapp of crimes, including recruiting Russians for acts of sabotage inside the ...