India tribunal lifts WhatsApp data-sharing ban, upholds Meta fine
WhatsApp had challenged the Competition Commission of India's November 2024 ban on data sharing between WhatsApp and other Meta entities, warning it may have to roll back some features
An Indian appeals tribunal overturned the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) five-year ban on Meta-owned WhatsApp sharing user data with other Meta entities for advertising purposes, while maintaining the $25.4 million fine imposed. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) ruled that the rationale behind the ban was absent.
WhatsApp had contested the ban, arguing it could lead to the removal of certain features. Meta also criticized the CCI for lacking the technical expertise to comprehend the implications of its order. The dispute began in 2021, following criticism of WhatsApp's privacy policy changes, with the CCI's investigation finding that the policy forced users to accept new terms or lose access to the service.
However, WhatsApp maintains that its 2021 privacy policy update did not impact the encryption of users' personal messages. India is Meta's largest market, boasting the highest number of active users across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp globally.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
