WhatsApp has banned approximately 71 lakh Indian accounts between April 1, 2024, and April 30, 2024, as part of its efforts to combat misuse and ensure the integrity of its platform.
According to the company's monthly compliance report, 13 lakh of these accounts were proactively blocked before any reports from users. WhatsApp received 10,554 grievances from India, and took action on six of them. The records "actioned" were just six.
WhatsApp also received two orders from the Grievance Appellate Committee in the country and complied with both, according to its monthly compliance report as per the new Indian IT Rules 2021.
The messaging platform, which has over 550 million users in India, bans accounts to ensure a secure environment for its users. Key reasons for account bans include violating the Terms of Service, which covers activities such as spam, scams, misinformation, and harmful content; breaching local laws, which leads to immediate bans; and responding to user reports of abusive or inappropriate behaviour.
WhatsApp's algorithms constantly check messages for harmful content like spam, threats, or false information. When users report or block suspicious messages, WhatsApp investigates and may ban accounts. A team of experts reviews difficult cases to improve the system. WhatsApp updates its technology to stay ahead of new threats and keep users safe.
In 2023, whatsApp banned over 7 crore accounts in India in 2023, according to reports published by the Meta-owned messaging platform over the year.
