Stricter Enforcement Under IT Rules 2021
In compliance with India’s new IT Rules of 2021, WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has taken decisive action against a significant number of “bad” accounts in India. Recent reports reveal that during the month of August, the messaging platform enforced restrictions on no less than 7,420,748 accounts in the country.
Out of this substantial figure, approximately 3,506,905 accounts were proactively banned by WhatsApp before any user reports were filed.
WhatsApp’s monthly compliance report for August disclosed a record-breaking 14,767 complaint reports originating from India. In response to these reports, WhatsApp took action on 71 of them. The term “Accounts Actioned” refers to instances where WhatsApp implemented measures based on user reports. These measures include both the suspension of accounts and the reinstatement of previously banned accounts following a thorough review.
A Focus on User Safety
The company released a statement explaining the purpose of this user-safety report, emphasizing that it covers user complaints received, the corresponding actions taken by WhatsApp, and the platform’s proactive efforts to combat abuse on its network.
As part of its commitment to enhancing digital regulations and addressing user concerns regarding content and related issues, the Indian government established the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC). In August, WhatsApp received only one directive from the GAC, and it promptly complied with it. The GAC’s primary mission is to handle user appeals against decisions made by social media platforms and contribute to strengthening the regulatory framework in the digital realm.
These recent actions taken to tackle “bad” accounts underscore WhatsApp’s dedication to user safety and adherence to regulatory requirements.
In other noteworthy news, WhatsApp has introduced a new feature for Android users in its beta version 2.23.20.16. This feature is a search tool for the Updates tab, allowing users to quickly find their favorite creators on Channels and access the latest status updates from friends and family.
