New Delhi, February 22 (IANS). The Supreme Court will on Monday hear petitions filed by Meta platform and WhatsApp challenging the Rs 213.14 crore fine imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on their privacy policies.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi is likely to hear the case.
Earlier on February 3, the court had commented strongly on both the companies and said that they cannot play with the privacy rights of the citizens in the name of data sharing. The bench had also said that these platforms are creating a monopoly situation and misusing the personal information of the users.
Expressing concern over WhatsApp’s privacy policy, the court referred to “silent customers” who are unorganized, digitally dependent and often unaware of the impact of data sharing rules. The judges clearly said that the rights of the citizens will not be allowed to be harmed at any cost.
This case is related to the CCI order in which a fine of Rs 213.14 crore was imposed for alleged violations related to the privacy policy of WhatsApp.
On November 4, 2025, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had quashed a part of the CCI order that had barred WhatsApp from sharing user data with Meta for advertising purposes for five years. However, the tribunal upheld the monetary penalty.
NCLAT later clarified that its decision on safeguards related to privacy and consent will also apply to the collection and sharing of user data for purposes other than WhatsApp, including both advertising and non-advertising activities.
The Supreme Court had earlier said it would pass an interim order on February 9 and directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to be made a party to the appeals of the two companies.
The court is also hearing a cross-appeal filed by CCI, challenging the NCLAT judgment that had allowed WhatsApp and Meta to share user data for advertising purposes.
–IANS
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