WhatsApp banned 74 lakh Indian accounts in April this year

According to the India monthly report published by WhatsApp, the messaging app disclosed that it banned 7.452 million (74.52 lakh) Indian accounts in April this year. These figures are released as per the requirements outlined in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and WhatsApp’s practice of publishing such reports on the first day of each month.

In a statement, the messaging platform owned by Meta highlighted its utilization of tools and resources to proactively prevent harmful behaviour. The company emphasized its focus on prevention, stating that it considers it more effective to halt harmful activities before they occur rather than detecting them after harm has already taken place.

A spokesperson from WhatsApp stated that their user-safety report includes information on user complaints received and the actions taken by WhatsApp to address them. The report also highlights the preventive measures implemented by WhatsApp to combat abuse on its platform. As mentioned in the most recent Monthly Report, WhatsApp banned over 7.4 million accounts in April, with over 2.4 million of those accounts being proactively banned even before receiving any user reports.

According to Meta, their abuse detection mechanisms operate at three key stages in the lifecycle of an account: during registration, while messaging, and in response to negative feedback received through user reports and blocks. To enhance the effectiveness of these systems, Meta employs a team of analysts who assess edge cases and contribute to ongoing improvements.

WhatsApp introduced its new global Security Centre on June 1, which serves as a comprehensive resource for users to acquire knowledge on safeguarding themselves from spammers and unwanted contact. The Security Centre acts as a centralized hub for users to access information and guidance on enhancing their security and privacy within the platform.

The newly launched page will be accessible in English as well as ten Indian languages, encompassing Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam among others.

The emphasized security features encompass two-step verification, identification of common scams, evasion of fake versions of WhatsApp, and management of group controls.

In a statement, WhatsApp announced the launch of the ‘Stay Safe with WhatsApp’ campaign in India last month. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about product features that enable users to exercise control over their online safety and enhance the security of their messaging experience.