The Department of Telecommunications of India has mandated that messaging platforms regularly verify the activity of SIM cards linked to user accounts every 90 days.
According to India.com, these requirements have been introduced as part of efforts to combat fraud. Criminals have been exploiting the lack of number verification features to distribute spam, deceive users, and even misuse stolen profiles.
Under the new rules, Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, Snapchat, ShareChat, JioChat, Arattai, and Josh will be required to confirm user phone numbers every three months in India. If a SIM card’s activity cannot be verified, the platforms will be obligated to block access to the associated accounts.
