NCLAT Grants Meta a Partial Reprieve from CCI's Data-Sharing Ban

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has temporarily lifted the five-year ban set by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on data-sharing between WhatsApp and Meta for ads. This provides relief to Meta, which had faced a Rs 213.14 crore fine for anti-competitive practices.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has temporarily stayed the five-year ban imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on the sharing of data between Meta and its messaging service, WhatsApp, for advertising purposes. This decision comes as a significant relief for the social media giant.

Reacting to the NCLAT's decision, Meta expressed its relief and stated, "While we evaluate our next steps, our priority is to forge a path that continues to support businesses relying on our platform for growth." The tech company emphasized its commitment to maintaining the high-quality user experience expected on WhatsApp.

The CCI had earlier fined Meta Rs 213.14 crore for alleged anti-competitive practices related to a 2021 WhatsApp privacy update. Meta challenged the fine, and the NCLAT serves as the appellate authority in this matter. The competition watchdog's order required Meta to halt data-sharing practices for ads and implement specified behavioral changes.

(With inputs from agencies.)