WhatsApp, owned by Meta, executed a ban on over 71 lakh accounts in India in November 2023, as revealed in India’s monthly report under the IT Rules, 2021 (released on January 1, 2024). Out of the banned accounts, 19,54,000 were proactively taken down by the company before any reports were filed. The platform, which identifies Indian users through +91 phone numbers, received 8,841 grievances during the same month. While action was taken on six of these reports, eight reports from the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) were also addressed by WhatsApp.
The GAC, instituted by the Government of India to handle citizen concerns on various social media platforms, submitted eight reports to WhatsApp, all of which were promptly addressed. WhatsApp’s user-safety report, in compliance with regulations, discloses user complaints and the corresponding actions taken by the platform to combat abuse.
WhatsApp employs a multi-level approach to detect and counter abuse, operating at registration, messaging, and in response to user feedback. When a user reports an account, a team of analysts reviews the case, deciding on necessary actions, including permanent bans.
Throughout the year, WhatsApp has prioritized user safety and privacy by implementing various security features. These include end-to-end encryption, the ability to mute unknown numbers, and a chat lock feature. These measures contribute to making WhatsApp a private and secure cross-platform messaging service.
The proactive steps taken by WhatsApp, evident in the substantial number of accounts banned before reports, underscore the platform’s commitment to maintaining a secure and abuse-free environment for its users. As technology evolves, WhatsApp continues to adapt, ensuring it remains at the forefront of user safety in the realm of messaging platforms.
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