New Rule: The government has implemented new cybersecurity rules, WhatsApp will stop working as soon as the SIM is removed from the phone...

WhatsApp, Telegram, and other apps have become the go-to messaging medium in India. However, in light of the increasing number of cyber frauds and online crimes, the Indian government has completely changed the rules governing messaging apps.

Apps will stop working if the SIM is removed from the phone.

According to the central government's new cybersecurity rules, no messaging app will now work unless an active SIM card is present in the phone. This means that if a user removes the SIM, the app will immediately stop working.

According to the government, criminals often remove the original SIM card and commit cyber fraud using fake numbers, VPNs, and fake accounts via the internet or Wi-Fi. The new rule is designed to prevent this.

Which apps will the rule apply to?

The new guidelines apply to almost all messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, ShareChat, GChat, Josh, and any other apps that use a mobile number to manage accounts.

What will companies have to do?

The Department of Telecommunications made this change mandatory under the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules 2025. Companies must ensure that a user's account is only active when the SIM is active and present in the mobile device. If the app is running in the background without a SIM, it will automatically log out.

Changes for WhatsApp Web

This rule applies not only to the mobile app but also to WhatsApp Web. Now, WhatsApp Web will automatically log out after every six hours. After that, the user will have to log in again by scanning a QR code from their mobile device. The government has ordered messaging app companies to implement the new system within 90 days.

Previously, OTP verification of the mobile number was required only once when installing a messaging app. After that, the app continued to run even after the SIM card was removed from the mobile device. Cyber ​​criminals exploited this loophole.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.