WhatsApp disclosed on Tuesday that it had banned over 3 million Indian accounts during the 46-day period from June 16 to July 31. The platform received 137 reports for account support, with one being actioned, and 316 requests for account bans, according to its second compliance report under the new Information Technology Rules, 2021.

The company stated, “Indian accounts were actioned through our prevention and detection methods, for violating the laws of India or WhatsApp’s Terms of Service and user-reports or grievances received.” These reports were submitted through two channels: email grievance_officer_wa@support.whatsapp.com and through mails received by the India Grievance Officer via post. WhatsApp evaluates and responds to all grievances received from users in India via these mechanisms.

Bulk Messaging Violations

More than 95% of the bans in India were attributed to the unauthorized use of automated or bulk messaging, commonly referred to as ‘Spam’. WhatsApp noted that these numbers have significantly increased since 2019 due to the enhanced sophistication of its systems.

This marks an increase from the first compliance report, covering May 15 to June 15, where WhatsApp reported banning 2 million Indian users.

Google’s Content Removal

In July, Google announced that it removed over 1.5 lakh pieces of content based on complaints received in May and June. More than 98% of these removals were related to copyright infringement issues.

WhatsApp’s actions highlight its ongoing efforts to combat spam and maintain the integrity of its platform, especially in India, one of its largest user bases.