Meta-owned WhatsApp banned 6.62 million accounts in India in May, with approximately 1.255 million of these accounts actively banned without any reports. The bans were implemented for allegedly violating Indian laws, as reported by the Times of India.

WhatsApp stated that the bans were part of an effort to adhere to the platform's community standards and ensure user protection in compliance with India's IT Act. This step is intended to reduce the exchange of harmful and unwanted messages on the platform.

India, being WhatsApp's largest market, has over 55 million users. The IT Act of India requires social media platforms to publish a monthly report detailing their actions. 

WhatsApp emphasized that its main goal is to minimize the spread of harmful and unwanted messages in India. The company reiterated its commitment to continuing these efforts to maintain user safety and platform integrity.

  • January 2023: 6.728 million accounts banned
  • February 2023: 7.628 million accounts banned
  • March 2023: 8 million accounts banned (highest number)
  • April 2023: Over 7.1 million accounts banned

These actions demonstrate WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to regulate its platform and ensure compliance with Indian laws.