IT Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar issued a subtle warning to WhatsApp today because the messaging platform, on its Twitter account, posted a graphic showing an incorrect map of India. He later deleted the tweet and apologized.
The map, while highlighting India in the world, has excluded Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and some Indian territory claimed by China.
In a “request” to WhatsApp to fix it, the minister said in a quote tweet: “All platforms that do business in India and/or wish to continue to do business in India must use the correct card.”
Screenshot of the Minister’s tweet citing a WhatsApp graphic containing a bad card. WhatsApp later deleted the tweet.
Mr Chandrasekhar tagged Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp among other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Hours after WhatsApp sent out the tweet – advertising a multi-location New Year’s Eve live stream – the minister took notice and spoke to Meta around 4pm.
WhatsApp later deleted and tweeted: “Thank you Minister for pointing out an unintentional mistake; we immediately delete the feed, sorry. We will be attentive in the future.”
Earlier this week, Mr Chandrasekhar also warned the founder of video calling company Zoom, Eric Yuan, about an incorrect map of India. “You may want to make sure you are using the correct map of the country where you do/want to do business,” the minister tweeted on Dec. 28. Eric Yuan also later deleted the tweet with the map.
In June 2021, Twitter as a platform came under heavy fire for displaying a distorted map of India and removing it after online backlash.
Misrepresentation of Indian Territory can lead to police cases and the law also prescribes prison terms.
India has also expressed frustration with other companies and agencies, including the World Health Organization, for using the wrong maps, particularly to depict Kashmir.
