Supreme Court Proposes 5-Year Ban on WhatsApp Ads in India

The Supreme Court of India has proposed a five-year ban on advertising-related data sharing by WhatsApp, following a recommendation from the CCI. The proposal stems from findings that WhatsApp abused its market dominance to force data-sharing policies on users. While the court has noted that end-to-end encryption is maintained, it is looking to prevent the use of private user metadata for commercial gain without explicit, fair choice. The final decision is expected in April 2026, which could significantly alter Meta’s monetization strategy in its largest market.