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India ’s competition watchdog has ordered WhatsApp to stop share user data with other Meta unit for advertising aim for five years and also levied a fine of $ 25.4 million for antimonopoly violations related to WhatsApp’scontroversial 2021 privateness policy .

The Competition Commission of India , whichbegan the investigation in 2021 , feel that WhatsApp ’s “ take - it - or - leave - it ” privacy update constituted an abuse of Meta ’s rife position by ram user to accept expand data collection without an opt - out option .

WhatsApp ’s 2021 privateness policy update expect users to share their data with Meta ship’s company for continue using the messaging service , slay a late opt - out selection that had existed since 2016 . The mandatory data - sharing essential expound the scope of data collection and processing by Meta ’s radical company .

The watchdog determined that Meta was predominant in two key market : so - called “ over - the - top ” message apps through smartphones in India , and online presentation publicizing .

In addition to the monetary penalty , the CCI mandated substantial changes to WhatsApp ’s data practice in India .

The messaging political platform must leave users with detailed explanations of what data is shared with Meta company and for what aim . It must also give users prominent opt - out options through in - app notifications and configurations menus , applying these change to both new and exist users who accepted the 2021 update .

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The ruling represents the latest regulative challenge for Meta in India , where WhatsApp has more than 450 million monthly active users .