We have to protect people's privacy: Supreme Court tells WhatsApp

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to Facebook and its messaging application, WhatsApp, to protect people's privacy and make amendments in the recently announced policies by the latter.

In January, WhatsApp had renewed its policies and made it mandatory for people to agree to them in order to use their services. The new policies were likely to come to effect on February 8, but amid outrage from people and their migration to other platforms, the company delayed their date of implementation.

"You (Facebook and WhatsApp) may be two or three trillion (dollar) company. But people value their privacy. It is our duty and we have to protect people's privacy," the Supreme Court said today.

"People have great apprehension over loss of privacy," Chief Justice of India Sharad A Bobde said. "People think that if somebody messages to someone then...the whole thing is disclosed to Facebook."

Supreme Court's reaction came over a petition filed against Facebook and WhatsApp to stop implementation of their new policies.

Meanwhile, the apex body has made it clear that whether it is in the form of law or not, privacy of people must be protected as it is a fundamental right.

Next hearing in the matter has been scheduled after four weeks.