New Delhi: A ban has been imposed on private messaging platforms and digital assistant devices in central government offices. The order was issued by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The ministry has banned government officials from sharing top-secret and strategic documents via WhatsApp and Telegram.
The ministry has ordered that digital assistant devices such as the Amazon Echo, Apple Homepod, and Google Home, as well as voice assistant technologies such as Alexa and Siri on smartphones and watches, not be used in offices.
The order also requires officials to keep their smartphones out of the room during important meetings. The order comes after a large number of government officials were found to be leaking highly confidential information through private messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. The ministry said such actions violate departmental security guidelines and national information security guidelines.
The order states that only a closed network with an encryption system should be used to exchange sensitive documents and confidential information. The ministry has also recommended the use of government email systems (NIC email) and messaging platforms such as CIDAC’s Samved and NIC’s Messages to exchange official messages. Employees working from home are also advised to avoid the transfer of confidential documents.
