Viral news / Report on launching beta version of video conferencing app fake: Govt

The government has clarified that a report about it launching a beta version of its "soon-to-be-launched" video conferencing app is fake. "Government has neither launched nor endorsed any video conferencing app," it said. A news portal apologised for the error and said its technology desk "incorrectly reported" that 'Say Namaste' app of a Mumbai-based startup, was backed by the government.

Latestly : Apr 22, 2020, 09:05 AM

New Delhi: Ever since lockdown due to COVID-19 has hit India, most of the people are working from Home. The WFH has forced many employees to use video conferencing applications like Zoom and Cisco Webex. The Minister of Home Affairs, however, released a security guideline manual for using Zoom app. Recently, a media report claimed that the government has launched a beta version of a soon launching video conferencing app Namaste.

A leading web portal claimed that the government has launched a beta version of Namaste application, an alternative to Zoom. The report further claimed that "Say Namaste" is expected to launch this week for Android and iOS users.

Refuting the claim, the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check team said that the information is false. "Government has neither launched nor endorsed any video conferencing app," PIB Fact Check Tweeted.

According to a report, Say Namaste app is developed by a private Mumbai-based software development company called Inscripts. Say Namaste is not really an application, but an online application that can be accessed through a web browser.