The Supreme Court strongly criticised Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, over privacy concerns linked to its 2021 policy update. The bench issued sharp remarks, warning that Indian citizens’ personal data cannot be exploited for business gains, WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing.
Court’s Tough Stand On Privacy
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya told Meta that privacy is protected under the Constitution. The court said companies cannot “play with privacy” and added it would not allow even “a single digit” of user data to be shared unfairly.
The case relates to WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy, which came under scrutiny after the Competition Commission of India imposed a Rs 213 crore fine. The company law tribunal upheld this penalty, keeping the spotlight on the WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing.
Government Calls Policy Exploitative
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta criticised WhatsApp’s policy as “exploitative,” alleging that it allows user data to be used for commercial advertising purposes.
The Chief Justice responded bluntly, saying that if Meta cannot follow India’s Constitution, it should “leave India,” as the court would not let citizens’ privacy be compromised during the WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing.
Can Ordinary Users Understand These Policies?
The court questioned whether millions of poor or uneducated users can truly understand such complex privacy policies. Judges asked if a rural vendor or someone speaking only Tamil could realistically grasp “opt-out” clauses.
The bench suggested these unclear terms could amount to “theft of private information,” reinforcing concerns raised in the WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing.
Ads Triggered By Private Chats?
The Chief Justice cited an example: if someone messages a doctor about feeling unwell, targeted ads for medicines may appear soon after. The court said this raises serious doubts about how data is being used indirectly.
Meta’s lawyers, including Mukul Rohatgi and Akhil Sibal, defended WhatsApp by stressing that all chats are end-to-end encrypted, meaning even the company cannot access message content. Still, the court maintained a strict tone throughout the WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing.
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FAQs
Q: Why is the WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing significant?
A: It shows the court’s strong stand on protecting Indians’ digital privacy rights.
Q: What did the Supreme Court tell Meta in the WhatsApp privacy policy Supreme Court hearing?
A: The court warned Meta to respect the Constitution or “leave India.”
Q: Does WhatsApp share message content with advertisers?
A: WhatsApp claims chats are end-to-end encrypted, so message content cannot be read.
Q: What penalty is involved in this dispute?
A: The Competition Commission of India imposed a Rs 213 crore fine linked to the 2021 policy.
