WhatsApp is the largest social media platform in the country. This app is used by all smartphone users on a daily basis. However, instead of using it, if you misuse it, you may also suffer the consequences. Recently, WhatsApp said that they have banned 8.4 million Indian accounts in a month. Meta has taken this step mainly because of their involvement in fraudulent activities.

According to the company, these accounts were banned based on reports of fraud and suspicious activity. Numerous users have complained about such fraudulent behavior. Incidentally, the government had ordered to outline a framework to maintain a safe environment for users. For that purpose, Meta published a transparency report.

The report revealed that Meta has banned over 8.4 million WhatsApp accounts in India for compliance with the provisions of Section 4(1)(d) and Section 3A(7) of the Information Technology Act. The company said this action was taken after continuous complaints and a concerted effort to increase surveillance.

In which month were the accounts banned?

According to Meta's report, these accounts were banned between January 1 and January 31. Of the total banned accounts, 1.6 million were blocked immediately due to serious violations. The remaining accounts were banned after investigations found them to be suspicious.

What are the reasons why a WhatsApp account can be banned?

Terms of Service violation

This list includes activities such as sending too many messages at once, spamming, engaging in fraudulent activities, and sharing misleading or harmful information.

Illegal activity

WhatsApp may ban accounts identified as engaging in illegal activities as a measure against them, as per the law.

User complaints

WhatsApp also takes action based on user complaints regarding harassment, abuse, or inappropriate behavior on the platform. Harmful accounts may be identified and banned.