An Indian appeals tribunal has lifted a five-year ban imposed on WhatsApp’s data sharing with other Meta platforms but upheld a $25.4 million fine, in a partial victory for the social media giant. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) ruled that the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) decision lacked sufficient reasoning but agreed Meta had abused its dominant position.
The CCI had originally banned WhatsApp in November 2024 from sharing user data with Meta entities such as Facebook and Instagram, citing unfair practices linked to its 2021 privacy policy changes. WhatsApp argued the policy did not compromise user privacy, emphasizing that personal messages remain end-to-end encrypted.
Meta welcomed the tribunal’s decision to remove the ban but said it is reviewing the full judgment. “We continue to reiterate that WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update did not change the privacy of people’s personal messages,” a company spokesperson said.
India represents Meta’s largest market worldwide, with hundreds of millions of users across its platforms. The ruling allows WhatsApp to continue integrating features that rely on shared data while maintaining compliance with local regulatory requirements.
