WhatsApp clones and software tools that cost as little as $14 are helping Indian digital marketers and political activists bypass anti-spam restrictions on the world's most popular messaging app by MunsifV AdityaKalra Sankalp_sp IndiaElections2019
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI - WhatsApp clones and software tools that cost as little as $14 are helping Indian digital marketers and political activists bypass anti-spam restrictions set up by the world’s most popular messaging app, Reuters has found.
After false messages on WhatsApp last year sparked mob lynchings in India, the company restricted forwarding of a message to only five users. The software tools appear to overcome those restrictions, allowing users to reach thousands of people at once. Reuters found WhatsApp was misused in at least three ways in India for political campaigning: free clone apps available online were used by some BJP and Congress workers to manually forward messages on a mass basis; software tools which allow users to automate delivery of WhatsApp messages; and some firms offering political workers the chance to go onto a website and send bulk WhatsApp messages from anonymous numbers.
Both apps have a green-colour interface that closely resembles WhatsApp and can be downloaded for free from dozens of technology blogs. They are not available on Google’s official app store but work on Android phones. Reuters was not able to ascertain the overall scale of such activities and found no evidence that BJP and Congress leaders officially ordered workers to campaign this way.In New Delhi, digital marketer Repswal said he would typically charge 150,000 rupees for a month’s service for creating digital content, providing a database of mobile numbers and then sending 300,000 WhatsApp messages.A person can add many mobile numbers in a field and compose messages with pictures.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Buyout firms download promising $14 bln data dealEQT and Digital Colony Partners are buying serial acquirer Zayo on the cheap. The fiber and data center firm’s subdued growth and hefty need for capital made for an uncomfortable five-year ride as a public company. A brighter future, helped by 5G growth, awaits as a private firm.
Read more »
Uber’s first employee is poised to make over $1 billion in the company’s massive public offering, and he’s already committed to donating at least $14 million to charityRyan Graves is a founding member of The Pool, an initiative that uses stock earnings to fund clean water nonprofit charity: water.
Read more »
Symantec board leaves company exposedCEO Greg Clark is leaving the $14 bln cybersecurity firm with no successor. That’s poor planning. But directors, including an activist and two buyout barons, should have been better prepared after an audit probe and a slew of senior departures. Now Symantec may be an M&A target.
Read more »
The career of Ryan Graves, Uber's first employee and billionaire CEO, was launched by a single tweetRyan Graves landed a job at Uber through a tweet in 2010. Years later, Uber is going public, and Graves is donating at least $14 million in Uber shares to charity.
Read more »
Buyout firms download promising $14 bln data dealEQT and Digital Colony Partners are buying serial acquirer Zayo on the cheap. The fiber and data center firm’s subdued growth and hefty need for capital made for an uncomfortable five-year ride as a public company. A brighter future, helped by 5G growth, awaits as a private firm.
Read more »
WhatsApp flaw let spies take control of phonesSpyware that exploited a flaw in WhatsApp was able to penetrate phones just through missed calls, without the targets doing anything.
Read more »
India votes in penultimate phase of seven-round general electionVoters in Delhi and elsewhere in India's north lined up early on Sunday to ...
Read more »
India votes in penultimate phase of seven-round general electionVoters in Delhi and elsewhere in India's north lined up early on Sunday to ...
Read more »