You can now complain to DoT about stalkers on WhatsApp

To complain against stalking and offensive messages on WhatsApp, all you need to do is take a screenshot of the offensive message and mail it to ccaddn-dot@nic.in, along with the stalker's phone number.

Once a complaint is lodged, the DoT will take the issue up with respective telecom operators and police departments to take action against the stalker(s).

Notably, the decision was taken by the DoT after it received multiple complaints from several public figures, including female journalists, about receiving objectionable, offensive, and intimidating messages.

Dated February 19, the DoT order clarified license conditions bar sending of any type of unauthorized messages on any network.

Further, it asked telecom operators to take strict action against those who send such messages.

Notably, in the wake of the Pulwama attack, several senior journalists, including the likes of Barkha Dutt, Ravish Kumar, Abhisar Sharma, and Swati Chaturvedi, had received a deluge of threats and abuses on WhatsApp.

Dutt even took the unprecedented step of publicizing the numbers of those threatening her.

Subsequently, the government had taken cognizance of the complaints, and had asked operators to take action.