Meta to Appeal Against ₹213.14 Crore Fine Imposed by Indian Competition Commission
New Delhi, November 19: Social media giant Meta has announced plans to appeal against the ₹213.14 crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The fine pertains to alleged anti-competitive practices linked to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update.
A Meta spokesperson stated that the company disagrees with the CCI's decision and will challenge the ruling. "The update was both optional and transparent," the spokesperson emphasized, adding that Meta is committed to contesting the fine.
The CCI imposed the penalty on Monday, citing unfair business practices related to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update. The commission also directed WhatsApp to refrain from sharing user data with other Meta-owned applications for advertising purposes for the next five years.
In its order, the CCI directed Meta to cease anti-competitive behavior, stating that the fine relates to how WhatsApp's privacy policy was implemented, user data was collected, and the information was shared with Meta's other platforms. The regulatory body concluded that these actions constituted an abuse of dominance.
The Competition Commission of India, a statutory body under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, is India's principal competition regulator. It is responsible for promoting fair competition and curbing activities that adversely affect competition under the Competition Act, 2002.
Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, Inc., is an American multinational technology conglomerate headquartered in Menlo Park, California. As of December 31, 2021, the company reported a revenue of approximately $118 billion. Meta operates popular platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
