FazTimes media: A significant new piece of information has emerged, highlighting the severity of digital abuse in India. WhatsApp said that in June 2025, it blocked more than 98 lakh accounts in India. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, made WhatsApp send this update as part of their regular India Monthly Report.

What led to the banning of such a large number of accounts?

79 lakh were banned, and no one complained. This shows that the company is now proactively addressing issues rather than waiting for complaints.

There are three ways that WhatsApp checks for bad behavior:

When a person creates an account
While they are sending messages
When people report abuse, like blocking messages or leaving bad reviews,

This method helps keep things like scams, false information, hate speech, and unwanted messages from spreading. WhatsApp received 23,596 user complaints in June, leading to the closure of 1,001 accounts. Interestingly, 16,069 of these complaints involved requests to reopen banned accounts. WhatsApp checked all these requests and brought back 756 accounts after looking into each case. A WhatsApp spokesperson said, “Our goal is to stop abuse before it starts.

Taking action early is important to keep our service safe.”

India is WhatsApp's biggest market, with more than 500 million users. This rapid growth in digital technology also makes India one of the primary locations where online safety and misinformation are significant concerns.

Al Jazeera says India's use of digital technology is growing quickly.

People now use platforms like WhatsApp for more than just talking to friends and family. They also use them for work, school, and spreading political messages.

What Are the Users Saying?

Rita Sharma, a small business owner in Mumbai who uses WhatsApp to sell her handmade jewelry, said:

“Last month, my business account was suddenly banned. I didn’t know why. It took me more than a week to get it back, and I lost some customers during that time.”

Many small business owners feel the same way, as they depend on WhatsApp to connect with their customers.

WhatsApp has set up a way for users to report problems or appeal decisions to deal with them. But the process can be slow because there are so many complaints every month.

A Bad Mix: Misinformation and Elections

One of the biggest worries in the last few years has been that people would use WhatsApp to spread false information during elections. According to BBC News, fake news and altered images have spread quickly on the app, which can sometimes cause big problems.

To fight this, WhatsApp has taken some steps to make things safer:

They limit how many chats a message can be sent to at once, which is five.
WhatsApp adds labels to shared messages, ensuring users are aware that the sender did not write them.
They also work with fact-checkers and election groups to mark untrue stories.
Even with these changes, experts say teaching people is just as important.

Ramesh Choudhury, a cybersecurity expert, says, “Only technology won’t resolve the problem of fake news. People need to learn how to think carefully before they share anything.”

New Features: Encouraging Business Interaction

Even though safety is still important, WhatsApp is also making it easier for businesses to connect with customers. Two new features—Status Ads and Promoted Channels—have been introduced for beta users on Android to help businesses reach more people.

WABetaInfo reports that Status Ads let companies share paid messages that show up between regular updates from friends and contacts—much like ads on Instagram Stories. These messages are clearly labeled as “Sponsored” to show they're not personal updates.

The Bigger Picture: What Will Happen Next

The digital world in India is changing quickly, and with those changes come new problems. People use platforms like WhatsApp every day for things like shopping, banking, learning, and even getting involved in social causes.

As the number of internet users increases, so does the potential for exploitation. Experts say that what's needed isn't just better technology, but also better rules, more information for users, and stronger teamwork between online platforms and the government.

“Keeping the internet safe isn’t just up to the companies running it. It’s a shared duty—between governments, tech firms, and the people using the internet,” says Priya Menon, a digital policy analyst.

Final Thoughts

Banning almost one crore WhatsApp accounts in a single month might seem worrying, but it also shows a strong effort to keep things safe in one of the fastest-moving digital markets around the world.

As WhatsApp continues to grow, especially for businesses, keeping users' trust will be its greatest challenge. New features like Status Ads and Promoted Channels can make the app better for users, but if not managed properly, they could also lead to problems.

For Indian users, the takeaway is clear: stay informed, act responsibly, and understand your rights. As we get more connected, making sure our digital spaces are safe is just as important as keeping our physical surroundings secure.

At FazTimes, we prioritize accuracy, confidence, and strong journalistic standards. To ensure every news story we share is real, we verify it with multiple trustworthy and independent sources.

We’ve compared this report with coverage from major news outlets worldwide, including BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg, South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera, NDTV, The Economic Times, and The Indian Express.

Our dedication lies in upholding the highest standards in global journalism, ensuring our readers can trust the information they receive.

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