'Exit India If...': Supreme Court Sends Sharp Message To Meta Over WhatsApp Policy, Indian User Data

In a sharp rebuke to Meta, the Supreme Court has warned that global tech giants cannot exploit Indian users under the cover of complex privacy policies. The court, led by the Chief Justice, questioned WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices and upheld concerns raised by the Competition Commission of India, which fined the company Rs 213 crore for abusing its dominant position. The judges asked whether poor and rural users could truly understand what they consent to, calling opaque policies a form of data theft. While Meta argued that messages are end-to-end encrypted, the court remained unconvinced about the use of metadata and targeted advertising. The broader message was unmistakable—India’s Constitution and citizens’ privacy come first, and compliance is not optional for companies operating in the country.