WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform owned by Facebook, has reported banning close to 7 crore accounts in India between January and November 2023, according to its monthly reports. The reports are in compliance with Rule 4(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. WhatsApp has been releasing these monthly reports since July 15, 2021, to provide transparency regarding its actions and compliance with regulations.
In its latest report, WhatsApp revealed that it banned over 6 crore (6,93,07,254) accounts in India until November 30, 2023. Out of this, over 2 crore (2,43,78,890) accounts were proactively banned before receiving many user reports. The platform takes such actions based on its abuse detection methods, which operate at various stages of an account’s lifecycle, including registration, during messaging, and in response to negative feedback received through user reports and blocks.
WhatsApp’s Actionable Accounts
The monthly reports also highlighted that WhatsApp received over 79,000 grievance complaints from users in India between January and November 2023. These complaints covered various categories, including account support, ban appeal, other support, product support, and safety. In response to these grievances, WhatsApp took action against 2,398 accounts. The term “Accounts Actioned” denotes reports where remedial action was taken, either by banning an account or restoring a previously banned account based on the complaint.
WhatsApp emphasized its commitment to preventing harmful behaviour on the platform and stated that it focuses on prevention to stop harmful activities before they occur. The abuse detection operates through three stages, with a team of analysts augmenting these systems to evaluate edge cases and improve effectiveness over time.
The monthly reports provide insights into the platform’s efforts to address user complaints, proactively ban accounts, and comply with directives received from the Grievance Appellate Committee. The platform clarified that not all reports may result in actions for various reasons, such as user assistance requirements or the reported account not violating Indian laws or WhatsApp’s Terms of Service.
Here’s how many accounts WhatsApp has banned in India, each month during 2023:
- January: 29,18,000
- February: 45,97,400
- March: 47,15,906
- April: 74,52,500
- May: 65,08,000
- June: 66,11,700
- July: 72,28,000
- August: 74,20,748
- September: 71,11,000
- October: 75,48,000
- November 71,96,000
Up until November, WhatsApp has banned over 6,93,07,254. Experts believe that in December, they are set to ban another 70 lakh accounts or so, because of which the total will be well over 7 crore for 2023.
Why WhatsApp bans some accounts
WhatsApp’s approach to managing user accounts involves taking action when account activity is believed to violate the platform’s Terms of Service. This includes activities such as spam, scams, or actions that could jeopardize the safety of WhatsApp users. The company emphasizes its commitment to user safety and combating abuse on its platform.
The term “Accounts Actioned” is used to denote reports where WhatsApp has taken remedial action based on user complaints. Taking action can involve either banning an account or restoring a previously banned account as a result of the reported issue. This information is part of WhatsApp’s user-safety report, which details the user complaints received and the corresponding actions taken by the platform. The report also includes information about WhatsApp’s own preventive actions to combat abuse on its platform.
In November, WhatsApp claims to have received a record 8,841 complaint reports in India. Out of these reports, only six were “actioned,” indicating that remedial action was taken based on those specific complaints.
WhatsApp asserts its position as an industry leader among end-to-end encrypted messaging services in preventing and combating abuse. The platform employs a dedicated team comprising engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement, online safety, and technology developments to oversee and enhance these efforts. This multidisciplinary team is focused on continually improving safety features and controls to create a secure and trustworthy environment for WhatsApp users.
(With inputs from agencies)
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