WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, took action against more than 71 lakh accounts in India during November 2023. This move was in accordance with the new IT Rules of 2021. About 19.54 lakh accounts got banned preemptively, without user reports, according to WhatsApp’s monthly compliance report.
The previous month, in October, the company had banned over 71 lakh accounts, and in September, it was 75 lakh accounts. In August 2023, about 74 lakh accounts were banned.
WhatsApp explains that accounts are banned if their activity is found to violate the Terms of Service. This includes engagement in spam, scams, or actions that may jeopardize the safety of WhatsApp users.
WhatsApp, boasting 500 million Indian users, faced 8,841 complaints about ‘Actioned accounts’ in November. However, only six of these reports resulted in action taken by WhatsApp. “Actioned accounts” refers to instances where WhatsApp took corrective measures based on a report. This could involve either banning an account or restoring a previously banned account.
The user-safety report not only outlines user complaints and the corresponding actions taken by WhatsApp but also highlights the company’s proactive measures to prevent abuse on its platform. WhatsApp claims to be an industry leader in preventing and combating abuse among end-to-end encrypted messaging services. The company employs a team of professionals, including engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement, online safety, and technology developments to oversee these efforts.