WhatsApp has announced that it banned over 7.4 million accounts in India in August to combat abuse on the platform and comply with IT Rules 2021. Around 3.5 million of these accounts were proactively banned. The company received 14,767 complaint reports and took action on 71 of them
WhatsApp reported that it banned a staggering 7.4 million accounts in the country during the month of August. Out of these, over 3.5 million accounts were proactively banned by the messaging giant even before users could lodge complaints.
The messaging platform revealed that it received a record-breaking 14,767 complaint reports from Indian users during August. These reports encompassed a spectrum of issues, including spam, harassment and the dissemination of misinformation. The company acted on these reports by either banning the offending accounts or restoring previously banned ones, demonstrating its commitment to addressing user concerns and enhancing platform safety.
With over 500 million users in India, WhatsApp remains the most popular messaging platform in the nation.
The Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC), a newly established body aimed at addressing user grievances related to content and other matters on social media platforms, issued only one order to WhatsApp in August. The company promptly complied with this directive, illustrating its willingness to cooperate with regulatory authorities and uphold the new IT rules.
WhatsApp's proactive measures to safeguard user interests were emphasised in its statement. The company asserted its position as an industry leader among end-to-end encrypted messaging services in combating abuse and ensuring user safety. WhatsApp further highlighted its dedicated team of professionals, including engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers and experts in law enforcement, online safety and technology development, who are entrusted with overseeing these efforts.
The Meta-owned popular instant messaging application WhatsApp took action against over 7.4 million ‘bad’ accounts in India, in compliance with the new IT Rules of 2021.
According to the report, the messaging platform banned at least 7,420,748 accounts in the country between August 1-31. About 3,506,905 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users.
The Meta-owned app, in its monthly compliance report, also received a record 14,767 complaint reports in August in India, and the records “actioned” were 71.
“Accounts Actioned” denotes reports where WhatsApp took remedial action based on the report and taking action denotes either banning an account or a previously banned account being restored as a result.
“This user-safety report contains details of the user complaints received and the corresponding action taken by WhatsApp, as well as WhatsApp’s own preventive actions to combat abuse on our platform,” according to the company.
Moreover, the company received only one order from the Grievance Appellate Committee in the country in August and complied with it. The Centre recently established the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to address user concerns about content and related matters. This panel aims to bolster digital regulations and handle user appeals against social media platforms’ decisions.
Conclusion
The Meta-owned app, in its monthly compliance report, also received a record 14,767 complaint reports in August in India, and the records “actioned” were 71.
“Accounts Actioned” denotes reports where WhatsApp took remedial action based on the report and taking action denotes either banning an account or a previously banned account being restored as a result.
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