Meta-owned WhatsApp announced a significant crackdown on bad actors in India, revealing a record ban of over 71 lakh accounts in November 2023.

This action aligns with the compliance requirements set forth by the new IT Rules 2021, according to the company’s statement on Monday.

Within November 1-30, WhatsApp took action against 71,96,000 accounts, with approximately 19,54,000 accounts proactively banned before any user reports were filed, as highlighted in their monthly compliance report.

Despite being the preferred messaging platform for over 500 million users in India, WhatsApp received a staggering 8,841 complaint reports during November.

Notably, the platform acted on six of these reported cases, emphasizing the term “Accounts Actioned” to denote instances where remedial measures were taken based on user reports.

WhatsApp’s user safety report aims to disclose user complaints received and the corresponding actions taken by the platform. The company underscores its proactive measures to combat abuse on its platform.

In response to recent developments, including the launch of the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC), designed to address the concerns of Indian social media users, WhatsApp emphasized its commitment to safeguarding users.

The GAC serves as a panel to review appeals by users against decisions made by social media platforms, as part of efforts to fortify the country’s digital laws, particularly concerning Big Tech companies.

WhatsApp reaffirmed its leadership in preventing and addressing abuse among end-to-end encrypted messaging services.

The company highlighted its multi-faceted approach involving a dedicated team comprising engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement, online safety, and technology to reinforce these efforts.