Indian Tribunal Suspends WhatsApp Data Sharing Ban
An Indian appeals tribunal has paused an antitrust authority's five-year ban on data sharing between WhatsApp and Meta-owned platforms for advertising. The interim ruling allows WhatsApp to maintain operations in India, as the Competition Commission of India's order threatened its business model. A final verdict is pending.
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An Indian appeals tribunal on Thursday put on hold a five-year ban by the antitrust authority that restricted data sharing between WhatsApp and other apps owned by Meta Platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, for advertising purposes. The move is a temporary relief for Meta as the tribunal reviews the case.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) made this decision to suspend the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) directive, which had significant implications for WhatsApp's business context. Meta argued that the ban could potentially dismantle WhatsApp's business model in India.
Meta, challenging the ban, informed the tribunal that it might need to reconsider its offerings in India, affecting users' personalized ad experiences on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. While Meta welcomed the tribunal's interim order, it also mentioned that the company is considering its next steps. No comment was received from the CCI regarding the ruling. Additionally, the tribunal insisted WhatsApp provide an opt-out option related to its 2021 privacy policy update, compliant with the November antitrust order.
(With inputs from agencies.)