'Better leave country, will not allow to play with privacy of Indians'; SC to WhatsApp

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court, in an opprobrium, asked social media behemoth WhatsApp and its parent company Meta to leave the country if they can't comply with Indian laws. The bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, also said that the rights of Indian citizens will not be allowed to be violated.

The Supreme Court has strongly criticised the privacy policies of Meta and WhatsApp. The Competition Commission of India had imposed a fine of Rs 213.14 crore on WhatsApp in a case related to the 2021 Privacy Act. The Supreme Court strongly criticised the company while considering a petition filed by Meta and WhatsApp challenging the fine.

The fine was imposed for sharing user data for advertisements. The court, in a response, said that it was impossible for commoners or village folks to understand the privacy policy of WhatsApp, as the court admitted itself going through a difficult phase comprehending the policy. The Chief Justice also said that the privacy of the people of the country will not be allowed to be played with. Justice Surya Kant made it clear that data sharing will not be allowed under any circumstances. The Supreme Court said that it will pronounce its order in the case on February 10.