India Fines Meta ₹213.14 Crore for WhatsApp Privacy Policy Violations

Nov 18, 2024, 04:22 PM

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of ₹213.14 crore on Meta for anti-competitive practices related to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update. The penalty addresses concerns over how user data was collected and shared with other Meta companies. Additionally, CCI has directed WhatsApp to refrain from sharing user data for advertising purposes with other Meta applications for a period of five years. The fine and restrictions come as part of a broader effort to regulate the tech giant's data practices and ensure fair competition in the digital marketplace. The CCI has also issued a cease-and-desist order and imposed specific behavioural remedies to address these antitrust violations.