The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has fined Meta ₹213.14 crore, accusing it of abusing its dominant position through WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update. This update required users to accept expanded data-sharing terms with Meta, without an opt-out option, to continue using WhatsApp. CCI labeled this “unfair” and a violation of the Competition Act, 2002.
The policy allegedly created barriers for Meta’s competitors and leveraged WhatsApp’s dominance in messaging to strengthen Meta’s online ad business.