Meta plans to challenge the ₹213.14 crore fine paid by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged anti-competitive activities related to WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy modification. A Meta spokeswoman told Business Today that the company intends to appeal the ruling, arguing that the upgrade was both optional and transparent.
According to Meta, the 2021 privacy policy amendment did not affect the privacy of WhatsApp users’ messages. The representative stated that the upgrade included new, optional business features and aimed to increase transparency in data gathering and usage.
Meta noted that users did not have to approve the upgrade. “We made certain that no one would lose access to their Snapchat accounts or have their functionality hampered as a result of this update,” the spokesman continued, rejecting CCI’s assertion that users were coerced into accepting the changes.
Meta emphasized WhatsApp’s importance to the Indian economy, emphasizing its capacity to connect individuals, businesses, and government agencies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, WhatsApp was widely used to deliver citizen services and support small businesses.
Meta stated that WhatsApp’s link to the larger Meta ecosystem enabled these features. “WhatsApp can do all of this because it provides Meta-supported services,” the representative stated.
The CCI ruled that the 2021 policy modification forced users to agree on additional data-sharing arrangements with Meta firms, thereby removing their option. It also discovered that Meta exploited WhatsApp’s messaging market dominance to obtain an unfair advantage in the digital advertising sector, hurting competition and user liberty.
However, Meta refutes these allegations, claiming that the upgrade was designed to improve the user experience and that no anti-competitive behavior happened. Meta has declared that it intends to settle the issue with the CCI while continuing to deliver services that users and businesses rely on. The company reiterated its belief that WhatsApp is a critical tool for India’s digital growth, particularly for small businesses and local communities.