NEW DELHI: Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp on Monday told the Supreme Court of India that it will comply with directions issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) requiring the company to give users greater control over how their personal data is shared with other companies owned by its parent, Meta Platforms.
The assurance marked a significant development in a long-running legal battle over WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy, which expanded the scope of data sharing between WhatsApp and its affiliate companies without providing users a clear opt-out mechanism. In 2024, the CCI had found this policy to be anti-competitive and abusive of WhatsApp’s dominant position in India’s messaging market, imposing a ₹213.14-crore penalty and issuing behavioural remedies to protect users’ autonomy.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Meta and WhatsApp, informed the top court that the companies have decided to implement the privacy and consent safeguards as directed by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). In its December 2025 ruling, upheld the CCI’s penalty while clarifying and extending the regulator’s directions to apply to both advertising and non-advertising data sharing. WhatsApp has agreed to complete compliance by March 16, 2026.
As part of the compliance framework, WhatsApp will provide users with a clear choice on whether their data may be shared with other Meta companies, including tools to withdraw consent at any time. The company also filed an affidavit explaining the categories of data shared and how it is used. In return, Meta and WhatsApp withdrew interim applications that sought to stay enforcement of the NCLAT’s order. The Supreme Court consequently directed the companies to file a compliance report with the CCI outlining how the directions have been implemented.
The case dates back to WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update, which required users to accept expanded data sharing with other Meta entities — including for advertising-related purposes — as a condition for continued use of the platform.
The case dates back to WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy update, which required users to accept expanded data sharing with other Meta entities — including for advertising-related purposes — as a condition for continued use of the platform. Critics, including the CCI, argued that this “take-it-or-leave-it” approach deprived users of meaningful choice and fairness, raising competition and privacy law concerns in India’s vast and digitally dependent market.
During earlier court hearings, the Supreme Court took a firm stance on the issue, underscoring the fundamental right to privacy and questioning corporate practices that compromise user autonomy. The bench emphasized that no user data should be shared without informed and revocable consent and warned that failure to comply with Indian law could interfere with the companies’ ability to operate in the country.
While the main appeal against the penalty and related findings continues to be heard, WhatsApp’s decision to implement the CCI and NCLAT directives is seen as a notable shift toward aligning with India’s regulatory framework on data privacy and competition.
