WhatsApp tests on-device scam detection as India pushes OTT apps into spam rules
Meta introduced Scam Alert, an on-device tool for WhatsApp that identifies potential scam messages without sending data to its servers, on August 12. This development coincides with India's Telecom Regulatory Authority's efforts to impose spam regulations on over-the-top (OTT) platforms, which would require apps like WhatsApp to share spam data with telecom operators. The tool aims to combat scams while maintaining user privacy and end-to-end encryption, potentially challenging the proposed regulatory framework.