In an op-ed for The Wire, Aarthi Anand contends the Indian Supreme Court should not permit WhatsApp to share data with Facebook on the grounds that it will give the company ownership over Indian citizens' data in a way it is not permitted in other nations and regions, like the EU. "When other countries are so assiduously protecting its citizens’ data, if the Supreme Court looks the other way and allows Indians’ data alone to be appropriated by private companies, the court will be doing a disservice to the people," Anand writes. Additionally, the argument that WhatsApp is a free tool and as such, privacy protections do not apply is flawed. "In the internet age, consumers help WhatsApp (and many other technology companies) earn from revenue streams, even if consumers do not cut a physical cheque directly to WhatsApp," Anand counters. "The proof is in the pudding."
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