Fact Check: No, the Government is not monitoring WhatsApp or adding a ‘Third Blue Tick’

Meanwhile, a poster circulating on social media claims that the government is implementing a new law regarding WhatsApp. The claim is viral in Telugu, featuring VC Sajjanar’s image on it, making it look like an official release.

The content, when translated, claims “New WhatsApp and Phone call rules are going to be implemented from tomorrow. The rules are.

“All calls will be recorded.

All calls will be saved.

WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram will be monitored

The call will be connected to the ministry system.

Do not send unwanted messages to anyone.

Tell your children, family, and relatives to be careful when using social media.

Posting against the government, the Prime Minister, or the President can lead to a case.

Sending political and religious messages is punishable.

Action will be taken as a serious cyber offense.

All group members and moderators should take it seriously.

Ten suggestions and then related to read receipts on WhatsApp. There are some suggestions along with it..”That’s how it is. ✓ = Message sent. ✓✓ = Message delivered. Tᴡᴏ ʙʟᴜᴇ ✓✓= Message read. Tʜʀᴇᴇ ʙʟᴜᴇ ✓✓✓ = Your message has been seen by the government 5. Tᴡᴏ ʙʟᴜᴇ ✓✓ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ✓= Your message may be seen by the government, and action may be taken. Oɴᴇ ʙʟᴜᴇ✓ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴡᴏ ʀᴇᴅ✓✓ = Your information is being checked by the government. Tʜʀᴇᴇ ʀᴇᴅ ✓✓✓ = Proceedings against you have been initiated by the government. You will be served with a court summons soon .The post also makes claims like this. The post and link are below.”

The claim was viral in May 2025 as well.

Here is the screenshot of the claim.

Fact check:

The claim is False. No such rules are in implementation.

The claim that the government is implementing new rules to monitor WhatsApp calls or introduce a 'third blue tick' for surveillance is FALSE. This claim is a recycled misinformation that has been debunked by official authorities multiple times.

When we checked the WhatsApp website, we found that in the FAQ section where the rules and features of WhatsApp are listed. When we searched for information about the blue ticks feature, we found information about how Check marks will appear next to each message you send. Here's the screenshot explaining the process.

We also found another document on how WhatsApp provides information to the authorities when requested. Governments can request user information from WhatsApp through legal processes, but WhatsApp will only provide narrowly tailored, non-message content like account information, group information, and contacts, because messages are end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp reviews every request to ensure it follows legal standards, and may notify users unless legally prohibited. Direct access to encrypted messages is not possible for either WhatsApp or governments. Laws like the DPDP Act can grant governments authority to access data under specific conditions, such as for national security, though the exact implementation is debated.

WhatsApp can provide information like Account information: Name, length of service, and last seen date. Contact list: The user's list of contacts. Group information: Details about the groups the user is a part of. Profile information: Profile photos and other public account details. Limited technical data: Such as IP address and device type, if available and applicable.

However, the information WhatsApp does not provide includes message content; WhatsApp cannot read or access the content of user messages. Government access to encrypted messages. No direct access: Without the encryption keys, neither WhatsApp nor governments can decrypt end-to-end encrypted messages. Legal exceptions: Laws like the Indian DPDP Act can grant governments the ability to access encrypted messages in cases of national security, public order, or criminal investigation. The extent and implementation of these exceptions are debated.

Upon government requests for information, WhatsApp's Law Enforcement Response Team (LERT) reviews all government requests to ensure they are valid and legally sound. Only information that is strictly necessary and narrowly tailored to the request is produced. WhatsApp reserves the right to notify users about data requests, unless legally prohibited or in exceptional circumstances like emergencies or child exploitation cases.

Official fact-checking bodies have repeatedly addressed this specific misinformation. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has found the widely circulated message to be fake, issuing warnings on platforms like Facebook in August and on X (formerly Twitter) in 2022.

Hyderabad City police also debunked the claim in circulation, stating that the digital poster with false claims is being circulated. The information in it is completely false and not issued by the police. Please do not share or forward such unverified content. If you come across similar misinformation, report it to us through our official channels.

This claim was previously debunked by Telugupost several times.

The claim that new, surveillance-based rules will be implemented for WhatsApp and that calls are being recorded is FALSE. The Hyderabad city police also did not issue any such advisory. The image in circulation is a fabricated one.