New Delhi: Social media company Meta has expressed disagreement with the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) decision to impose a ₹213.14 crore fine and plans to appeal against it.
The CCI on Monday imposed the fine on Meta for alleged unfair business practices related to WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update. In addition, the CCI directed Meta to cease and desist from anti-competitive practices.
The CCI also ordered Meta and WhatsApp to implement specific practical measures within a defined timeline to address competition-related issues. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company disagrees with the decision and plans to appeal.
The spokesperson said, “It’s important to note that the 2021 update did not change the privacy of people’s personal messages and was presented as an optional choice for users. We ensured that no account was deleted, nor was WhatsApp’s service interrupted due to this update.”
Meta clarified that the update was about introducing optional business features on WhatsApp and providing more transparency regarding data collection and usage. The spokesperson added, “Since then, WhatsApp has been incredibly valuable for people and businesses. It has enabled organizations and government institutions to deliver citizen services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, while also supporting small businesses to drive India’s economy forward.”
The spokesperson further said, “WhatsApp can achieve this because it is backed by services provided by Meta. We are committed to finding a way forward that allows us to continue offering the experiences that people and businesses expect from us.”
Meanwhile, the CCI has restricted WhatsApp from sharing user data collected on its platform with other Meta companies or products for advertising purposes for five years.
Regarding data sharing for purposes other than advertising, the CCI stated that WhatsApp’s policy must include detailed information about user data shared with other Meta companies or products.
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