Thousands ‘Auto-Exit’ From Whatsapp In Kashmir

As the Internet blackout in Kashmir crossed 121 days, tens of thousands WhatsApp users who have “auto-exited” are in fear of losing personal data.

Dr. Khursheed Ahmad who works in Mumbai informed his family members living in Srinagar on Wednesday night that all relatives have suddenly “left” the family WhatsApp group. Dr. Ahmad is among hundreds of WhatsApp users who have auto-exited due to the social media platform’s company policy.

“The data on the group came to a halt on August 5. We used to share wedding and birthday pictures and inform each other about our well being. All pictures are gone,” said Dr. Ahmad.

Nazia Kareem, a resident of Khanyar, who was in touch with a U.S.-based doctor about his father’s rare illness, said she fears she might have lost important medical records and prescriptions saved on the application. “I am not sure if the line-of-medical treatment saved on WhatsApp will be there once I re-register myself,” she lamented.

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