The Competition Commission of India (CCI) stated, 'Sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies... for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp service shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp Service in India.' This underlines the Commission's emphasis on protecting user rights and ensuring fair competition in the market.
As per the CCI's findings, Meta's manipulation of its dominance extends not only to messaging services but also to online advertising, where it holds a significant competitive edge. The Commission highlighted a clear abuse of market position with WhatsApp's updated privacy policy mandating data-sharing.
This penalty of Rs 213.14 crore (approximately 25.4 million USD) emphasizes India's commitment to regulating monopolistic practices and ensuring that tech giants do not exploit user data under the guise of service improvements.
The CCI's initiation of a probe in March 2021 reflects a proactive stance in tackling the implications of privacy policies on market fairness, signaling potential changes in user data handling practices among industry leaders.
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