WhatsApp India banned over 22 lakh 'bad accounts' in June
WhatsApp has announced that it banned over 22 lakh accounts in India this June. The step was taken in compliance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. In June, the Meta-owned company also received 632 grievance reports against accounts that violated Indian laws or WhatsApp's Terms of Service, and 64 accounts were 'actioned.'
Why does this story matter?
WhatsApp is one of the world's most popular instant messaging platforms and just like any other piece of technology, there are those who want to misuse it and harm others. The company works round the clock to ensure a safe user experience. However, the huge number of banned accounts every month suggests that we have a long way to go.
Lakhs of accounts are blocked every month
Between June 1 and 30, WhatsApp banned 22.1 lakh accounts. In May, 19 lakh accounts were banned, 528 grievance reports were received, and 24 accounts were 'actioned.' Over 16.6 lakh accounts were shut down in April, 844 grievance reports were received, and the accounts 'actioned' were 123. 'Accounts Actioned' denote cases where WhatsApp takes remedial action based on the grievance reports it receives.
Have invested in AI to prevent abuse of service: WhatsApp
WhatsApp has put out a statement highlighting its commitment to ensuring a safe user experience. "WhatsApp is an industry leader in preventing abuse, among end-to-end encrypted messaging services." "Over the years, we have consistently invested in Artificial Intelligence and other state-of-the-art technology, data scientists and experts, and processes, in order to keep our users safe on our platform," it added.
How can users handle malicious accounts?
While WhatsApp has several features to detect fraudulent activity on the platform, users can also do their part by blocking contacts and reporting content from within the app. The tech firm goes through these reports to remove malicious accounts that might harm other users.
