In a significant development within the framework of regulatory compliance, WhatsApp has recently implemented a ban on over 85 lakh accounts belonging to Indian users during the month of September. This measure, executed by Meta's instant messaging platform, has been documented in the company’s monthly compliance report submitted in adherence to the provisions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.
In its report, WhatsApp disclosed that 16.58 lakh accounts were proactively banned—indicating that these actions were taken independent of user reports. The report also indicated that WhatsApp received a total of 8,161 grievances within the same month, resulting in action being taken on 97 of these cases. Furthermore, the company noted compliance with two directives issued by the Grievance Appellate Committee.
IT Rules 2021
As mandated by the new IT Rules 2021, all social media platforms operating within India with a user base exceeding 50,000 must publish a monthly compliance report. This report is required to elucidate the instances of accounts reported by users, the actions taken by the platform, and the details of any guidance provided by the Grievance Appellate Committee.
In its statement, WhatsApp emphasised its commitment to transparency and user safety, asserting that it empowers users with functionalities to block contacts and report potentially harmful content directly through the application. The company reiterated its dedication to heeding user feedback while striving to mitigate the spread of misinformation, enhance cybersecurity measures, and uphold the integrity of electoral processes.
It is noteworthy that in August, WhatsApp had previously banned approximately 84. 58 lakh accounts, wherein 16.61 lakh were banned proactively. Recent feature enhancements, including the introduction of a custom list function, have been made available to users, facilitating better management of contacts and group communications.
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