WhatsApp has released its latest monthly report, revealing significant insights into user complaints and account bans for September 2024. The new monthly report underscores the ongoing challenges the platform faces in maintaining user safety and trust in India.
According to the report that fetches information for the period from 1 September 2024 to 30 September, 2024, the chat company, during the month of September, received a total of 8,161 complaints from users in India. A large number of these complaints, 3,744 in number, related specifically to users appealing their account bans. This high number indicates widespread concern among users about the reasons behind account suspensions and the processes involved in reinstating accounts. Overall, WhatsApp actioned 97 accounts during this period, meaning they either banned or restored accounts based on the complaints received.
The chat company received 870 complaints regarding abusive behaviour on the platform. However, despite the high volume of safety-related grievances, WhatsApp did not take action against any accounts solely based on these complaints. Instead, the platform advised users to utilise its in-app reporting tools to address harmful behaviour.
“This allows WhatsApp to receive the most recent messages sent to the complainant by the reported user or group, as well as information on the complainant’s recent interactions with the reported user. As per our processes, this is not recorded as an action taken against the grievance report,” the chat company clarified.
WhatsApp also banned 8,584,000 accounts in India during September alone. Out of these, 1,658,000 accounts were proactively banned before any reports were filed by users.
Additionally, the report noted that WhatsApp complied with two orders from the Grievance Appellate Committee during the month, showing the platform’s willingness to cooperate with regulatory authorities in addressing user concerns. Privacy remains a cornerstone of WhatsApp’s service, with the platform using end-to-end encryption to protect users’ personal messages from unauthorised access.