WhatsApp Banned Over 3.6 Million Accounts in India in December 2022; Here’s the Reason

WhatsApp announced that it had banned 36.77 lakh accounts in India in December last year. The company shared in its India Monthly Report for December that 13.89 lakhs of these banned accounts were proactively blocked before users reported them.

Banned Accounts in December 2022: Here Are the Numbers

WhatsApp stated in its report which was published under the Information Technology Rules 2021, "Between 1 December 2022 and 31 December 2022, 3,677,000 WhatsApp accounts were banned. 1,389,000 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users."

The government's stringent IT rules require digital platforms with more than 50 lakh users to publish monthly compliance reports. These reports comprise an overview of all the complaints as well as the actions taken.

Large social media platforms have been plagued by the rampant spread of misinformation, fake news, and harassment. Users have also been complaining about social media companies de-platforming users and taking down content without explaining why.

In a bid to address these problems, the government set up three grievances appeal committees last week. From March 1, these panels will handle complaints against large social media companies.

Similar committees have been established in the past. In December, the number of WhatsApp users' appeals rose by around 70 per cent to 1,607 compared to the previous month. This includes appeals to ban 1,459 accounts.

It is reported that WhatsApp only took action on 166 appeals. The company explained that it takes action on an account if it is either banned or if a previously banned account is reinstated. WhatsApp added that it replies to every grievance, and ignores duplicate appeals. Besides responding to user complaints on the grievance channel, WhatsApp stated that it proactively employs various resources and tools to deter "harmful behavior" on the platform.

WhatsApp's abuse detection system is active during registration, messaging, and in the case of negative feedback. The company bans accounts that are in violation of WhatsApp's policies and guidelines.