A message doing the rounds on the internet that the Indian government has ordered WhatsApp suspend its services between 11.30pm and 6am has been flagged as “fake” by Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check team.
The viral message, purpotedly claiming to be issued by the government, claimed that a user’s account would be deactivated within 48 hours, if they do not forward the same message.
The message claimed that a “monthly charge” of ₹499 would be applicable to WhatsApp users to activate their accounts.
The Fact Check team of PIB debunked all these claims in a post on Twitter, saying the government hasn’t made any such announcement and cautioned the people to refrain from engaging with fraudulent links.