Popular messaging service application WhatsApp has deactivated several users’ accounts from Kashmir after 4-month of internet ban in the region.
Also Read: Learn everything that’s happening in Kashmir
This news got attention after it came as a surprise to friends and relatives of Kashmiris who were outside the Indian Occupied Kashmir region. The reason behind the deactivation of the accounts is when the Bhartia Janta Party (BJP) led Indian government scraped Article 370 and cut off the region from the rest of the world.
Also Read: ‘Kashmiris who had faith in Indian parliament have been deceived’; India amends constitution against Kashmir
According to WhatsApp’s policies, it deactivates accounts after 120 days of inactivity.
A spokesperson for Facebook told BuzzFeed News that,
“To maintain security and limit data retention, WhatsApp accounts generally expire after 120 days of inactivity.”
He further added,
“When that happens, those accounts automatically exit their WhatsApp groups. People will need to be re-added to groups upon regaining access to the Internet and joining WhatsApp again.”
On Twitter, friends and family reported the shock they felt at seeing accounts removed from group chats previously used to share updates and news.
