Meta Platforms Disagrees with India's Data-Sharing Order

(Reuters) – Meta Platforms announced on Tuesday its disagreement with an order from India's competition watchdog.

The order restricts data-sharing between WhatsApp and other Meta applications, and Meta intends to legally challenge this decision.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) instructed WhatsApp to cease sharing user data for advertising purposes with other Meta-owned applications for a period of five years. Additionally, the CCI imposed a $25.4 million fine on Meta for antitrust violations connected to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy.

The CCI's investigation, initiated in March 2021, scrutinized a policy that allowed data-sharing between Meta and its subsidiaries, which drew widespread criticism globally.

The 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."

A Meta spokesperson clarified that the 2021 privacy update did not alter the privacy of users' personal messages. They added, "We also ensured no one would have their accounts deleted or lose functionality of the WhatsApp service because of this update."