WhatsApp banned more than 9.8 million accounts in India during June as part of its ongoing efforts to curb abuse and harmful activity on the platform. According to the company’s latest India Monthly Report, nearly 1.979 million of these accounts were banned proactively, before any user complaints were received. The platform emphasized that its abuse detection operates at three stages—during account registration, while messaging, and in response to negative feedback such as user reports and blocks.
In addition to banning accounts, WhatsApp acted on grievances received from users in India. During the month, the platform received 23,596 complaints through its grievance mechanisms, resulting in action 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.
WhatsApp stated that prevention is its primary focus, as stopping harmful activity before it happens is more effective than detecting it afterward. The platform reiterated its commitment to user safety, noting that it uses end-to-end encryption, safety tools, and dedicated teams to combat abuse, misinformation, and security threats. It also works with experts to promote cybersecurity and protect election integrity.
Last month, WhatsApp introduced two new tools—Status Ads and Promoted Channels—available to select beta users on Android. Status Ads function similarly to Instagram Story ads, allowing business accounts to post paid content that appears in users’ Status updates. These ads are clearly labeled as “sponsored” and appear between updates from friends and family, making them easily identifiable as promotional content.
