New Delhi, April 7 -- The government has pushed back the deadline for SIM-binding rules on messaging apps and scrapped a controversial six-hour logout requirement, but the core question remains: will tying accounts to mobile SIMs actually curb fraud, or is the policy aimed at the wrong layer of the problem?

Last week's extension to 31 December for platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal offers companies more time to comply. It also reflects technical challenges flagged by companies and concerns over user experience.

Yet experts question the premise, arguing that fraud occurs at the telecom and network layer, not within apps, raising doubts about whether SIM binding can deliver the intended results.

Mint explains.

In November l...