This is a major regulatory shakeup that will fundamentally change how millions This is a huge regulatory shift. The government has just thrown a wrench into the seamless, multi-device workflow that millions of people rely on for work and life. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) basically just told WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram: your services cannot work like they used to.
Add rightsofemployees.com as a Preferred Source
This all flows from the contentious Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025, which laid the groundwork for classifying these apps as Telecommunication Identifier User Entities (TIUEs)—a fancy way of saying they’re now under telecom rules, not just internet content rules.
Here’s the impact from the ground:
Also read:Don’t Ignore These 3 Silent Heart Attack Warning Signs!
The Two Core Mandates (In Effect February 2026)
The DoT’s order on Friday, November 28, gives these platforms 90 days to comply.
-
Mandatory SIM Binding: This is the big one. Your app must now continuously verify that the SIM card you registered with is physically present in the device.
-
Effect: If you take the SIM out, replace it (like when you travel), or disable it, the app must stop working. That one-time OTP verification you’re used to? That’s gone.
-
-
The Six-Hour Log-out: Say goodbye to leaving WhatsApp Web open all day.
-
Effect: Web-based sessions (WhatsApp Web, etc.) must be logged out periodically, no later than every six hours. You will have to re-authenticate by scanning a QR code with your SIM-bound phone to continue. Friction, all day long.
-
Why They Did It
Government officials are frustrated. Let’s be real. They can’t track cyber fraudsters—especially those operating from outside the country—who exploit the current loophole where they validate a number once, remove the SIM, and continue committing crimes using the app without leaving a traceable record tied to an active subscriber.
-
The Goal: Aid in the traceability of cyber fraud by linking every message back to an active SIM/subscriber.
The Industry Reaction
The industry is not happy. An industry source called the instructions “problematic.”
-
The Worry: This adds massive friction for legitimate users—people traveling abroad who need to use a local SIM, or professionals who rely on continuous WhatsApp Web sessions for work. No feasibility study or consultation was held before this order came down.
-
The Irony: Critics question whether this will actually stop sophisticated fraudsters, who often use SIM cards procured through forged IDs anyway. The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMA) has called the amended rules a “clear overreach” with “broad implications” across every digital business that uses a mobile number to identify users.
The telecom operators, on the other hand, are totally supportive. They want the platforms to face the same strict rules they do.
Also read:Don’t Ignore These 3 Silent Heart Attack Warning Signs!
Add rightsofemployees.com as a Preferred Source
