WhatsApp bans over 98 lakh accounts in India in June to curb abuse

With nearly 20 lakh accounts removed proactively the platform also introduced tools like Status Ads and Promoted Channels to expand business features, amid ongoing user safety efforts

Mumbai: WhatsApp banned more than 98 lakh accounts in India during June, as part of its efforts to curb abuse and harmful activity on the platform, according to WhatsApp’s latest India Monthly Report.

Of these, nearly 19.79 lakh accounts were banned proactively, before any user complaints were received, the report stated. In addition to banning accounts, WhatsApp also acted on grievances received from users in India.

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During the month, the platform received 23,596 complaints through its grievance mechanisms, out of which action was taken against 1,001 accounts. These actions included banning accounts or restoring previously banned accounts after reviewing complaints.

Most complaints were related to ban appeals, with 16,069 such cases reported, leading to action on 756 accounts. Other categories included account support, product support, and safety-related issues, as per the report.

WhatsApp said its abuse detection works at three stages — during account registration, while messaging, and in response to negative feedback such as user reports and blocks. The company added that prevention is its primary focus, as stopping harmful activity before it happens is more effective than detecting it afterward.

The platform emphasised its commitment to user safety, saying it uses end-to-end encryption, safety tools, and dedicated teams to fight abuse, misinformation, and security threats. It also works with experts to promote cybersecurity and protect election integrity, the messaging platform said in the report.

Meanwhile, last month, the messaging platform has introduced two new tools – ‘Status Ads’ and ‘Promoted Channels’. According to WABetaInfo, these features were available to select beta users on Android.

Status Ads work like Instagram Story ads. Now, business accounts can post paid content that will show up in people’s Status updates. These ads will appear between status updates from friends and family, with a clear “sponsored” label so people can easily spot them as ads.