Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposes ₹213.14 crore fine on Meta (formerly Facebook)

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of ₹213.14 crores on Meta (formerly Facebook). 

• This fine was imposed due to Meta's implementation of the 2021 WhatsApp privacy policy.

Reason for the Fine:

• The CCI found that WhatsApp's new privacy policy, which allowed sharing data with Facebook (now Meta), was anti-competitive. According to this policy, WhatsApp pressured users to allow sharing their personal information, which could be harmful to competition.

• The CCI believed that Meta's action raised issues related to the necessity of user data, which could violate competition laws, as this policy could limit consumer choice and create difficulties for other competitors.

• Meta was accused of harming competition in the market due to this privacy policy, especially for smaller and new players, as they might have faced difficulties in obtaining data from consumers.

CCI’s Decision:

The CCI imposed a fine of ₹213.14 crores on Meta and directed the company to modify its privacy policy. Meta was instructed to ensure that its policy complies with user consent and the rules of competition.