In its recent monthly compliance report, WhatsApp, the messaging service owned by Meta, revealed that it blocked more than 9.9 million accounts in India during January 2025. This large-scale ban is part of the company’s ongoing campaign against spam, fraudulent activities, and various forms of abuse on the platform, which were detected in these accounts.
With a vast user base in India, WhatsApp faces the important challenge of maintaining a secure and trustworthy communication environment. Approximately 1.3 million of the banned accounts were detected and removed by WhatsApp’s internal systems before any user reports were filed. These proactive measures were a result of the WhatsApp’s systems automatically identifying suspicious behavior, such as the spreading of mass or automated unwanted messages, as well as the dissemination of false information or the use of contact lists from unauthorized sources.
During the same month, WhatsApp users in India submitted 9,474 complaints regarding various issues, including unwanted spam and account misuse. After a careful examination of these complaints, WhatsApp took action against 239 accounts, which included both bans and the restoration of accounts where complaints were found to be unsubstantiated.
WhatsApp has emphasized that these measures were implemented by India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The monitoring of accounts by WhatsApp occurs at three key stages: when an account is created, when it sends messages, and when it receives negative reports or is blocked by other users. To enhance its protective measures, a team of human analysts reviews complex cases to improve the platform’s overall monitoring capabilities.
WhatsApp has consistently warned that users who spread false information, engage in harassment, or are involved in illegal activities may face permanent suspension of their accounts. Additionally, Indian IT regulations require the company to publish monthly reports, ensuring transparency about the number of accounts banned and the nature of complaints submitted by users.
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