WhatsApp In Hot Soup As CCI To Act Against Its Privacy Policy Update

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is likely to issue an order against WhatsApp for allegedly breaching competition laws with its privacy policy update. The director general of investigation concluded that WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta, contravened provisions of competition law prohibiting abuse of dominance. The contentious update on WhatsApp’s privacy policy and service terms has attracted scrutiny from the CCI, which may include a penalty. As per the Competition Act revision in 2023, the CCI can levy penalties of up to 10% of the average turnover for the preceding three financial years on guilty enterprises. This development underscores the importance of regulatory oversight in maintaining fair competition and protecting consumer interests in the digital market. The CCI’s decision will have significant implications for WhatsApp’s operations and its compliance with competition laws.