Mumbai: WhatsApp implemented bans on over 98 lakh accounts in India during June as part of its ongoing efforts to combat abuse and harmful activities on its platform. A significant portion of these bans, specifically 19.79 lakh accounts, were initiated proactively before any user complaints were registered.

Beyond proactive measures, WhatsApp also addressed grievances submitted by users in India. The platform received 23,596 complaints through its various mechanisms during June, leading to action being taken against 1,001 accounts. These actions encompassed both banning accounts and reinstating previously banned ones following review. The majority of complaints, 16,069 cases, were related to ban appeals, resulting in action on 756 accounts. Other reported issues included account support, product support, and safety concerns.

WhatsApp emphasises that its abuse detection operates in three key phases: during account registration, throughout messaging activity, and in response to negative user feedback such as reports and blocks. The company's primary focus remains on prevention, asserting that stopping harmful behaviour before it occurs is more effective than addressing it afterwards. The platform reiterates its commitment to user safety through end-to-end encryption, dedicated safety tools, and specialised teams dedicated to combating abuse, misinformation, and security threats. Furthermore, WhatsApp collaborates with experts to enhance cybersecurity and safeguard election integrity.

In a recent development, WhatsApp introduced two new features last month: 'Status Ads' and 'Promoted Channels'. According to WABetaInfo, these features were initially made available to a select group of Android beta users. Status Ads function similarly to Instagram Story ads, allowing business accounts to display paid content within users' Status updates. These ads will be clearly labelled as "sponsored" and appear between status updates from friends and family.

With inputs from IANS