Want to keep WhatsApp the way it was built to be: Chris Daniels, Global head

66423678 NEW DELHI: WhatsApp, in the middle of sensitive negotiations with the government on reforming its messaging service, is unlikely to give up on the “core” issue of maintaining its encryption standards, and will announce an India head by year-end. It also wants a “level playing field” for its services in India.In an exclusive interview, the first with any media outlet in India, global head of WhatsApp Chris Daniels told ET: “We want to keep WhatsApp the way it was built to be — a place for private conversations.” Daniels, who’s starting his second India visit in as many months Tuesday and is scheduled to meet IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as well as top officials of the Reserve Bank of India, answered a detailed questionnaire emailed to him by ET.On the critical issue of law enforcement agencies seeking access to WhatsApp data to identify origins of “dangerous” messages, Daniels said, “We recognise that relying on law enforcement isn’t enough — whenever you introduce new technology there needs to be broad education to explain how to stay safe.” Daniels said fighting misinformation is every stakeholder’s job, that it “…requires action from all of us — technology companies, civil society, government…” WhatsApp has hired a grievance officer and plans to hire a country head soon. “We’ll have a head of WhatsApp India named by the end of the year,” said Daniels, who took over as head of the messaging platform in May this year. Answering a question on data localisation, Daniels said it’s “critical that Indian leaders ensure a level playing field”.

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