{
  "id": 16157933,
  "title": "WhatsApp to stop working for these users from Jan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/whatsapp-to-stop-working-for-these-users-from-jan",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-23T05:22:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/whatsapp-and-telegram-to-stop-working-for-these-user-from-jan-1-govt-announces-new-rule-what-you-should-know/articleshow/135135195.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Starting January 1, 2027, WhatsApp and Telegram users in India will face new requirements if they use their accounts without an active SIM card in their phones. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) set December 31, 2026, as the deadline for messaging platforms to adopt SIM-binding rules. The aim is to curb cyber fraud by ensuring Indian mobile numbers are linked to active SIM cards. Messaging apps associated with Indian numbers will need to verify that the registered number is connected to an active SIM or eSIM. If the SIM is removed, deactivated, or replaced, users might encounter restrictions. This could impact those using WhatsApp on a secondary phone, those who rely heavily on Wi-Fi, or those who remove their SIM after setting up an account. However, the exact impact depends on how each platform implements the rules. The government's move is part of a broader strategy to combat cybercrime, including financial fraud and digital scams. Fraudsters have exploited mobile numbers to create messaging accounts and operate them from abroad. SIM-binding is expected to make it harder for such criminals to misuse Indian numbers. Users may face account restrictions if their registered number does not meet the new verification criteria, but this does not necessarily mean their accounts will stop working altogether. WhatsApp and Telegram are among the services expected to be affected, though Snapchat and Signal's statuses remain unclear. Users should verify official announcements from the DoT and the platforms for detailed information on verification, enforcement, and possible exceptions before January 1, 2027.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}