What led Whatsapp to ban a staggering 76 lakh users in India?

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, announced on Monday that it had taken strict action against harmful accounts in India during February, in accordance with the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. A staggering 7,628,000 accounts were banned during the period from February 1 to February 29, out of which 1,424,000 were proactively removed before any user reports were received. This comes as the platform received an unprecedented 16,618 complaint reports from users in India during February, with only 22 of these reports being acted upon.

The company emphasized its commitment to addressing user grievances, responding to all complaints received, except those identified as duplicates. Accounts are considered "actioned" when they are either banned or restored following a complaint. In January, WhatsApp had already banned 6,728,000 accounts, with 1,358,000 of them being proactively removed.

WhatsApp highlighted its multifaceted approach to ensuring safety on the platform, which includes the implementation of safety features and controls, as well as a dedicated team comprising engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement and online safety. These efforts underscore the platform's ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure and positive environment for its more than 500 million users in India.