In the first quarter of 2024, WhatsApp reportedly took action against numerous accounts in India that were found to be involved in online scams and frauds, resulting in a total of 22,310,000 accounts being banned.
The recent ban on 22.3 million WhatsApp accounts in India highlights the alarming rise of online frauds, which poses a serious risk to the safety of users. To delve deeper into this pressing issue, let us explore the reasons behind this significant move by WhatsApp in Q1 2024.
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WhatsApp banned 22.3 million accounts in India in Q1 2024
During the first quarter of 2024, WhatsApp made an unprecedented move in India by prohibiting over 223 million accounts, which is twice the amount that was banned during the same period in the previous year (2023).
The significant action taken by WhatsApp on accounts points to the escalating concern of online fraud and user security in India.
WhatsApp enforced these bans due to user complaints, system-detected suspicious activities, and the identification of accounts that violate Indian law or WhatsApp policies. Additionally, the bans were executed in accordance with the directives of the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC).
According to WhatsApp, the Government of India enforced Rule 4(1)(d) and Rule 3A(7) of the “Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021” to implement the bans.
WhatsApp Release their monthly Report regarding Ban Accounts
According to WhatsApp’s monthly report for the initial quarter of 2024, there has been a steady rise in the quantity of banned accounts every month.
WhatsApp removed over 6.7 million accounts in January, with roughly 1.3 million accounts being terminated without any reported user grievances.
February also exhibited a similar pattern with regards to WhatsApp’s account banning activities. During the month, a staggering number of 76 lakh accounts were prohibited from accessing the platform, and amongst those accounts, over 14 lakh were previously identified and flagged by the platform’s security measures.
The number of banned WhatsApp accounts rose in March, with approximately 8 million accounts being banned by the messaging platform. Among these accounts, over 1.4 million were already activated before they were prohibited.
WhatsApp’s stringent measures to prevent misuse are evident in their increasing bans and active efforts to detect violators on their own. Month after month, the messaging platform reinforces its strict stance against any wrongful activities.
Why WhatsApp decided to Ban Accounts?
WhatsApp has taken action to ban accounts that were found to be in violation of its policies, and were posing a threat to the privacy of users. These accounts were engaged in activities such as the dissemination of fraudulent or spam content.
The substantial quantity of banned accounts indicates a prevalent misuse of the platform, particularly in India, where there are over 53 crore active WhatsApp users.
As a constituent of Meta, WhatsApp implores its users to familiarize themselves with its guidelines on acceptable use of their services.
In addition to prioritizing account security, users are urged to promptly report any instances of unauthorized access.
With the knowledge that WhatsApp has banned a significant number of accounts, reaching up to 22.3 million in India, it is crucial that we also take responsibility for ensuring the safety of our own accounts and protect ourselves from such scams. To achieve this, it is essential that necessary measures are taken to ensure the security of your account.
