Facebook eager to launch WhatsApp Payments app in India: Zuckerberg
27 Jul 2018
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Despite major setbacks around the globe, Facebook is still eager to launch its UPI payments in India and is seeking a “green light” from the Indian government.
“The feedback and usage (from the people who have tested the WhatsApp Payments app in India have been very strong,” Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg told investors after announcing the second quarter earnings. “All signs point to a lot of people wanting to use this when the government gives us the green light.”
Facebook currently has over 2.5 billion people using at least one app (Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Instagram) each month, Zuckerberg said on his Facebook page. “We continue to invest heavily in safety and security,” he said. “This quarter, our systems identified and removed thousands of fake accounts, pages, and groups before the Mexican elections. We launched our tool to make political advertising much more transparent, including letting you see who any political or issue ad is targeting, how much they're spending and more.”
In India, Facebook is facing problems as the government is concerned over the manner in which it stores user data. The ministry of electronics and information technology has received complaints from other players in the digital payments sector, who have alleged that WhatsApp is flouting norms while rolling out its payment service.
The ministry also wants WhatsApp to crack down on fake news, especially in view of the growing instances of intolerance including mob lynching – which has resulted in deaths – following circulation of fake reports on the app.
The Indian government, which has issued two notices to it, wants WhatsApp to tackle the fake news issue on a priority basis. It has warned that mediums that are used for propagating rumours will be seen as ‘abettors’ and could face legal action.
India is the largest market for Whatsapp, accounting for over 200 million accounts in its total global user base of 1.3 billion.
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