India’s Competition Commission has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to stop using data collected from WhatsApp to help with advertising on its other platforms for five years. The regulator said that Meta’s handling of WhatsApp users’ data constituted an abuse of market dominance.
In February 2021, WhatsApp updated its privacy policies, which expanded the scope of data collection and required mandatory data sharing with Meta companies. The ICC found that this move created a barrier to entry for rival messaging apps and online display advertisers.
As part of the order, Meta will be fined ₹213.14 crore (approximately $25 million) and no longer be allowed to require users to accept its privacy policy in order to use WhatsApp. It will also have to clearly explain how it shares user data with other Meta companies and products.
The decision marks a significant step for India’s antitrust efforts, which are aimed at regulating the tech industry to promote fair competition. The country has been cracking down on social media giants over concerns about content moderation, data harvesting, and market dominance.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/19/india_whatsapp_data_sharing_sanctions