Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, announced on Tuesday that it disagrees with the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) decision and intends to appeal. The company further emphasized that the 2021 update did not alter the privacy of users' personal messages and that users were given an option at the time of the update.
A Meta spokesperson said in a statement, "We disagree with the CCI’s decision and plan to appeal. To clarify, the 2021 update did not alter the privacy of users' personal messages and was presented as an option for users at the time. We also ensured that no one’s account would be deleted or lose functionality of the WhatsApp service due to this update."
Also Read| WhatsApp Privacy Policy Case: CCI Imposes Rs 213 Crore Penalty on Meta.
On Monday, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) levied a fine of Rs 213.14 crore on Meta for exploiting its dominant market position. The penalty relates to the implementation of WhatsApp’s 2021 Privacy Policy and the handling of user data, including its collection and sharing with other Meta entities. The CCI also issued cease-and-desist orders and mandated that Meta and WhatsApp implement certain corrective measures within a specified timeframe.