Meta to appeal CCI’s order against WhatsApp privacy policy.
In March 2021, the CCI investigated WhatsApp’s privacy policy.
Meta will challenge the CCI’s ruling that WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy modification was anticompetitive.
The CCI penalized Meta ₹213.14 crore (about USD 25.3 million) for violating the Competition Act by abusing its dominant position in the 2021 WhatsApp privacy policy change.
I disagree with the CCI’s ruling and will appeal. The 2021 upgrade gives customers the option to keep their personal messages private. A Meta spokesman told HT that no accounts were deleted or WhatsApp ceased working after this update.
Monday’s CCI order required WhatsApp to refrain from sharing user data with Instagram and Facebook for five years for advertising purposes.
According to the CCI, WhatsApp cannot require users to share data with Meta firms to use its services in India.
WhatsApp must disclose non-advertising data sharing with Meta companies and products.
User data supplied for purposes other than WhatsApp services must be given the option to opt out and change in-app. It must be available to all users, including those that accepted the 2021 update.
The update introduced optional business tools on WhatsApp and increased transparency in data collection and use, according to a Meta spokeswoman.
