WhatsApp banned over 65 lakh Indian users in May amid rising cases of online scams

Cases of online scams are on the rise in India. Every day, new scam cases are being reported across the country, and the messaging app WhatsApp is becoming one of the hotspots for these scams. Scammers reach out to people through WhatsApp messages or calls and steal lakhs from them. In order to deal with these scammers, WhatsApp is working on making its platform more secure and is taking user reports seriously. The platform, owned by Meta, recently released its monthly user safety report for May 2023 and noted that it has banned over 65 lakh Indian users after receiving user complaints.

WhatsApp releases the monthly India report in accordance with Rule 4(1)(d) and Rule 3A(7) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The report provides information on the number of grievance reports received from users and the appropriate actions taken in response. WhatsApp assures that it diligently reviews all reports submitted by its users and takes appropriate action against accounts that violate the company's Terms of Service. This includes addressing issues such as spam, scams, and any behavior that jeopardizes the safety of WhatsApp users.

According to the latest report which included data from May 1- May 31, the platform reportedly banned 6,508,000 accounts in India. The report further highlights that out of this number, 2,420,700 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users. The remaining accounts were identified and acted upon through WhatsApp's prevention and detection measures.

Further, the platform also received 3,912 grievances reports, from which it took actions against 297 accounts. "The abuse detection operates at three stages of an account's lifestyle: at registration, during messaging, and in response to negative feedback, which we receive in the form of user reports and blocks. A team of analysts augments these systems to evaluate edge cases and help improve our effectiveness over time," reveals WhatsApp in its report.

" We are an industry leader among end-to-end encrypted messaging services in preventing and combating abuse. In addition to our safety features and controls, we employ a team of engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement, online safety, and technology developments to oversee these efforts.We enable users to block contacts and to report problematic content and contacts to us from inside the app. We pay close attention to user feedback and engage with specialists in stemming misinformation, promoting cybersecurity, and preserving election integrity," the report further added.

Notably, WhatsApp offers a range of features to ensure the safety of its users on the platform. These features include end-to-end encryption, two-step verification, forward limits, and more. It also allows users to report and block other users whom they believe are violating the platform's terms and conditions or are posing a threat to their online presence.

Recently, the platform introduced a chat lock feature, allowing users to lock their chats for added security. Additionally, WhatsApp has also added a dedicated privacy check-up feature, enabling users to closely examine the privacy settings and features unlocked on their accounts. These measures are aimed to enhance user privacy and safeguard their information while using the platform.