WhatsApp 'horrified' over India lynchings, promises action

E-Paper | June 13, 2026

WhatsApp said on Wednesday it was “horrified” by a spate of lynchings in India sparked by false rumours shared on its platform as the government accused the messaging service of irresponsibility.

More than 20 people have been killed in India in the last two months, according to media reports, after rumours were spread on smartphones about child kidnappers, thieves and sexual predators.

When a text can trigger a lynching: WhatsApp struggles with incendiary messages in India

The attacks — usually targeting outsiders — have left authorities scrambling to mount an effective response, with awareness campaigns and public alerts having limited effect.

A stern statement issued by the electronics and IT ministry late on Tuesday expressed the government's “deep disapproval” to the senior management of WhatsApp over the “irresponsible and explosive messages”.

“The government has also conveyed in no uncertain terms that WhatsApp must take immediate action to end this menace,” it added.

In a letter to the Indian government, WhatsApp said it “cares deeply about people's safety” and had taken steps to combat the scourge of fake news and hoaxes.

Also read: Reality, reason and rumour in the age of WhatsApp

“We're horrified by these terrible acts of violence and wanted to respond quickly to the very important issues you have raised,” WhatsApp said in the letter seen by AFP.

The company said it was working with Indian researchers to better understand the problem and had introduced changes it said would reduce the spread of unwanted messages.

It would also soon launch a new label in India to help users identify messages that had been forwarded as opposed to written by someone they know.

Rumours on WhatsApp about child kidnappers saw eight men killed in eastern Indian last year but the same information has since resurfaced.

Attacks have been reported in at least 11 states recently, most recently in Maharashtra where five men were bludgeoned to death by a crazed mob on Sunday.

Last week a “rumour buster” official tasked with warning the public against such hoaxes was killed in northeastern Tripura.

With more than 200 million users, India is WhatsApp's biggest market. Its parent company Facebook has also been grappling with a global data privacy scandal.

WhatsApp said it planned to run a public safety campaign in India “given its importance” to the company, and mentioned efforts by police to use its platform to raise awareness about its misuse.

“We believe that false news, misinformation and the spread of hoaxes are issues best tackled collectively: by government, civil society and technology companies working together,” WhatsApp said.

“With the right action, we can help improve everyone's safety. “

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Suraj71

Jul 04, 2018 12:59pm

That is why these apps like facebook whats up etc are banned in China Russia. They silently support troubles in other nations.

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Karim

Jul 04, 2018 01:22pm

BJP is spreading the fake news and they are now threating whatsapp to take action. Strange

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Babu

Jul 04, 2018 01:44pm

Good that Indian government is acting fast on the issue.

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Ahad

Jul 04, 2018 02:04pm

What does this have to do with WhatsApp? If WhatsApp somehow manages to restrict such messages then how are those geniuses going to stop the numerous of alternative messaging services. There is no alternative to law enforcement.

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Gautam

Jul 04, 2018 02:36pm

Technology with low level of civilization is a recipe for disaster.

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Vineeth

Jul 04, 2018 03:03pm

Problem is not that of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, but the level of intellect of the people who use them. Most of these lynchings happen in areas of low literacy and social awareness where people have no idea of, or lack faith in the justice system. Govt has conveniently passed the buck to WhatsApp to wash its hands off the issue.

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Umair

Jul 04, 2018 03:52pm

Problem is not whats app but illiterate and violent people of India.

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Atar

Jul 04, 2018 04:23pm

@Ahad , It is not about WhatsApp messaging feature. Other applications also have these features. Its about the penetration of WhatsApp (200 million users) and with increased penetration your CSR (corporate social responsibility) also increases. WhatsApp's CSR is much more than other apps with fewer users.

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Sage

Jul 04, 2018 04:46pm

@Ahad You are saying how blocking the highway prevent the flow while small dirt roads remain open ? Of course it helps. Uneducated or partially educated people wont even recognize the word "Messenger App", but would understand the word "Whatsapp". A lot of people will understand Xerox, but get confused if you say "get a photo copy". So, targeting the largest platform and making them saner always helps, and it affects the competition also. These are people who believe and act blindly based on what they read, so you are talking of that class of people.

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Sage

Jul 04, 2018 04:51pm

@Suraj71 Really ? China and Russia are the examples for a democracy like ours ? Certainly not. This behavior comes out of ignorance, improper upbringing among other things including governance. When people are resorting to mob justice, surely we are doing something wrong. We need to work on the society, shooting the messenger is not the solution.

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Samit

Jul 04, 2018 05:14pm

Fake news will be the downfall of social media if not controlled

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kartikey

Jul 04, 2018 05:41pm

Fake news became global trend all SM must do something to prevent the fake news

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RationalBabu

Jul 04, 2018 06:12pm

@Gautam: Sad but true!

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Anonymous

Jul 04, 2018 06:14pm

@Suraj71 WhatsApp works in China, so does Google maps. Looks like your information on that is also fake news. :)

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Snoppy

Jul 04, 2018 06:19pm

People in India believe in lot fake stuff, not surprised, just tune in to there any of thousands of news channels, fake news after fake news,

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Akram

Jul 04, 2018 06:58pm

Reminds us of the American gun lobby argument “guns don’t kill , people do”.

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Anonymouseeeee

Jul 04, 2018 07:10pm

India’s biggest problem is it’s over population

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Sachin

Jul 04, 2018 07:20pm

Give 10 outgoing msg free per day. After that charge 1 rupee per msg. Automatically all junk will disappear.

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natey

Jul 04, 2018 08:06pm

well maybe they can turn off data service in state where lynching happens

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Logical

Jul 04, 2018 08:31pm

Government should focus on the real issue rather than passing the blame to WhatsApp

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Alba

Jul 04, 2018 09:02pm

Indians are losing control of themselves.

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Shahryar Shirazi

Jul 04, 2018 09:05pm

Vote RSS out. Whats app was during Congress rule also

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Jul 04, 2018 11:13pm

@Suraj71 WhatsApp doesn't support violence. Our people dont deserve cutting edge technology.

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Nighat

Jul 05, 2018 12:05am

@Vineeth Social media platforms not only foment actions with people of low intellect, but people of high intellect are manipulated and should be wary of social media. The British company Cambridge Analytica had illigally used data of millions of Facebook users to influence last US Elections.

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aaga khan

Jul 05, 2018 05:33am

The fear of having no censored media is something that Indian government is already worried of. However due to dirty politics of Congress and its communal allies, government's proposal of curbing fake news law is not passed.

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Jayw

Jul 05, 2018 06:47am

@Karim Wow. Even law enforcements have failed to identify the real culprit. And here you have declared them. You must be a rare talent.

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farooq shaikh

Jul 05, 2018 07:50am

What is the factual position on news spread through the app. how truth is there.

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Aranya

Jul 05, 2018 10:21am

@Vineeth I don't think government is tryin to pass the buck. Fake viral news is a big headache today adding a country like India with over billion people, it's impossible to keep on adding security with all limited means we have. More than government and whatsapp, the onus is on civil society to stop reacting on everything that comes to them and have opinion on every damn thing. I have seen the most educated also falling in this trap

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Shivam Kumar

Jul 05, 2018 01:30pm

@Ahad Totally agree, they will. But here is something i propose. That rumour or certain fake message was originally written by someone notorious and inhumane. We should ,with the help of WhatsApp trace back the message to the original writer and bring him under the rule of law. This is a way, i think we can control this menace.

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Arfeen Khan

Jul 05, 2018 02:36pm

@Gautam - concise but precise point. You are a stright shooter.

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Jul 05, 2018 03:50pm

Indian government is not addressing the issue. The issue is "Lynching", It is state responsibility to make and implement laws to combat lynching. In this age of communication if you somehow tailor WattsApp, ten new Apps will mushroom up. Till the time masses have no fear of law and have the feeling that they will get away with taking law in their own hands, this menace will not stop.

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Ajaya K Dutt

Jul 06, 2018 01:57am

@Karim - BJP is not spreading Fake News. You are spreading Fake News by irresponsible accusations.

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Jul 06, 2018 08:10am

@Karim what is the reliable source of your information?

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Raj

Jul 06, 2018 08:36am

@Karim , I am not a BJP supporter but super intelligent and super desperate Anti BJP people give credibility to the BJP. Is there any connection between lynching and BJP ?

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ihtisham

Jul 06, 2018 05:50pm

@Suraj71 educate yourself. stop lynching.

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