Supreme Court Questions Meta and WhatsApp Over Data Sharing During CCI Penalty Appeal
The Supreme Court sharply questioned Meta and WhatsApp over their 2021 privacy policy during a hearing on their appeal against a CCI penalty, raising.
Supreme Court Questions Meta and WhatsApp Over Data Sharing During CCI Penalty Appeal
Supreme Court Questions Meta and WhatsApp Over Data Sharing During CCI Penalty Appeal
The Supreme Court of India on Monday raised serious concerns over data-sharing practices of Meta Platforms and its messaging service WhatsApp while hearing their appeal against a monetary penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) .
The appeal challenges a Rs 213.14 crore penalty imposed by the CCI over WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update, which mandated data sharing with Meta for advertising and business purposes.
Court’s Observations on Privacy Policy
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant made strong oral observations regarding the policy, questioning whether users were given a meaningful choice. The Chief Justice remarked that compelling users to accept data sharing in order to continue using the service amounted to a problematic practice.
The bench expressed concern that ordinary citizens, including small traders and street vendors, could not reasonabl…