Supreme Court Issues Stern Warning to Meta and WhatsApp Over Coercive Privacy Policies
The Supreme Court of India has delivered a sharp rebuke to Meta Platforms and its subsidiary WhatsApp, condemning their imposition of 'take it or leave it' privacy terms on users. In a significant judicial intervention, the bench emphasized that corporations cannot treat citizens' fundamental right to privacy as a negotiable commodity. The court's remarks highlight growing global scrutiny over Big Tech's unilateral data governance frameworks, which often force users into accepting invasive terms without meaningful consent. This development signals a potential shift toward stricter regulatory oversight, compelling tech giants to adopt more transparent and equitable data practices. Analysts view the warning as a critical step in rebalancing power dynamics between multinational platforms and individual rights, setting a precedent for future litigation and policy reform in digital privacy law.
