WhatsApp- the most popular messaging app in the world is now in the news for its middle finger emoji.
An advocate from Delhi, Gurmmet Sinh, sent legal notices to the parent company, Facebook demanding the removal of middle finger emoji within 15 days.
Gurmeet, a lawyer working in city courts in Delhi, stated that “Showing of the middle finger is not only offensive but a highly belligerent, invasive, obscene, lewd gesture.” The notice went on to mention the 354 and 509 Sections of the Indian Penal Code, “…it is an offense to show obscene, lewd, offensive gestures to females. Use of a lewd, offensive, obscene gesture by anyone is hereby illegal also as aforesaid.”
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WhatsApp has not yet responded to the issue. Gurmeet Singh also threatened to file civil and criminal cases against the company in case of emoji removal failure.
This isn’t the first time that WhatsApp headlining the news with such issues. WhatsApp has been hit with many legal notices several times all over the world. Last week in France, French privacy watchdog CNIL issued a notice to WhatsApp asking it to stop sharing French user data with its parent company, Facebook within one month.
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