WhatsApp users get a major update: WhatsApp web to log out every 6 hours under new SIM‑binding rule

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) : Users using platforms like 'WhatsApp Web' will have to log out every six hours after the Department of Telecommunications issued new rules for messaging platforms.

The new guidelines issued last week mandated that the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) used at the time of registration of users on web-based platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Arattai, Snapchat, ShareChat and others must be linked to the services.

This means that the messaging platform's services will be tied to the SIM card. This means that users can only use these apps' services when the SIM is in their phone. Once the SIM is deactivated, they will no longer be able to use the services. Therefore, on platforms like WhatsApp Web, users must log out every six hours.

A circular issued by the Department of Telecommunications states that if the original SIM is not present in the device, these apps will not be usable after 90 days. Each web-based platform will be required to submit a compliance report to the government within four months. The government has taken this step to prevent misuse of messaging apps, as cyber fraudsters often perpetrate fraud by using WhatsApp without a SIM card from outside India.

Making SIM binding mandatory provides a way to track a subscriber's activity and will help prevent fraud. These rules stem from the Telecommunications Cyber ​​Security (Amendment) Rules, 2025, which introduced the concept of a telecom identifier user entity. Under the revised rules, platforms will need access to the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) stored on SIMs, requiring global services like WhatsApp to redesign parts of their systems for Indian users.

Tech companies said that constant SIM checks and six-hour logouts would interfere with user privacy and eliminate multi-device usage. However, telecom companies supported the government's move.