In accordance with the new IT Rules, 2021, which are now being changed to place greater obligations on social media platforms, Meta-owned WhatsApp, which is now owned by Facebook, said on Tuesday that it blocked over 26 lakh accounts in India in the month of September.
According to third-party statistics, the messaging app in India has close to 500 million users. In September, 666 complaints were received there, with 23 of those records being “acted upon.”
“We have made our September 2022 report public in compliance with the IT Rules 2021. This user safety report includes information on the user complaints WhatsApp has received and the steps it has taken in response, as well as WhatsApp’s own proactive measures to address abuse on our platform “According to a statement from a company representative.
In August, the platform in India banned nearly 23 lakh malicious accounts.
Major digital and social media sites with more than five million users must provide monthly compliance reports under the updated IT Rules 2021.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has announced several revisions intended at defending the rights of “Digital Nagriks” in the meanwhile, as part of a significant drive towards an open, safe, trusted, and accountable Internet.
Social media intermediaries are only obligated to warn users about not publishing a limited range of hazardous or illegal information at this time.
As a result of the revisions, intermediaries are now required by law to make reasonable measures to stop users from submitting such content.
According to Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, it is essential to defend Indian citizens’ fundamental rights.
The Ministry conducted a thorough public consultation process that included input from all interested parties before notifying the public of the modifications. The additional clauses will make sure that the intermediary’s responsibility is more than just a legal requirement.
