WhatsApp
After IT minister's warning over wrong map of India, WhatsApp deletes tweet, apologizes
New Delhi/IBNS: After Union IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s subtle warning, messaging platform WhatsApp deleted a graphic, posted on its Twitter handle, that showed an incorrect map of India and issued an apology.
WhatsApp used excluded Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and some Indian territories claimed by China from the Indian map
In a subtle yet firm warning, Chandrasekhar wrote: "All platforms that do business in India and/or want to continue to do business in India, must use correct maps."
Chandrasekhar tagged Mark Zukerberg-led Meta, which owns WhatsApp and social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.
The minister noticed within hours of WhatsApp sending out the tweet publicising its multi-location livestream for New Year's Eve and addressed Meta around 4 pm.
WhatsApp then deleted and tweeted: "Thank you Minister for pointing out the unintended error; we have promptly removed the stream, apologies. We will be mindful in the future."
Earlier this week, the IT minister had warned video calling company Zoom's founder Eric Yuan for using an incorrect map of India.
"Your may want to make sure you use correct maps of the countries you do/want to do business in," the minister had tweeted on December 28.
Eric Yuan, too, deleted the tweet with the map.
In June 2021, Twitter as a platform had drawn flak for displaying a distorted map of India and removed it after online backlash.
Erroneous depiction of India's territory is a punishable offence under IPC and can lead to a jail term.
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