Friends, let’s talk about recent times, the long-running controversy regarding the privacy policy of the world’s most popular instant messaging app WhatsApp has again arisen in front of the Supreme Court. In this case, which focuses on allegations of sharing user data with parent company Meta, WhatsApp assured the court that it does not improperly share user data with Meta and is committed to complying with the regulatory directions issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
What happened in the Supreme Court?
The case was heard by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp and its parent company Meta, said:
The company’s technology framework is “pretty neat”.
User privacy is given utmost importance.
“There is no question of breaking the law.”
Allegations of sharing user data with Meta for advertising purposes are false.
An affidavit was also submitted in the court stating that WhatsApp has not violated user privacy rules as alleged by the regulator.
Following the instructions of CCI and NCLAT
The case stems from directions issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) over concerns over WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices.
Key developments include:
Meta was directed to implement security measures within three months.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in its December 2025 judgment modified certain aspects of the CCI order.
WhatsApp has now assured the court that all the necessary changes will be implemented by March 16.
After compliance, the company may withdraw its appeal challenging certain parts of the order.
How did this controversy start?
The controversy began with WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update, which allowed the sharing of certain user data — including:
phone number
device information
Interaction with business account
This data may be shared with other companies of the Meta Group.
Critics described the update as a “take-it-or-leave-it” policy, saying it raised serious concerns about:
User Privacy
data protection
market competition
These concerns led CCI to take action and the legal battle continued.
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