<p>The Delhi High Court has held that WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy places its users in a "take it or leave it" situation, virtually forcing them into an agreement by providing a mirage of choices and then sharing their data with its parent company Facebook.</p>.<p>The high court's verdict came while dismissing appeals of WhatsApp and Facebook against an order rejecting their challenge to a probe ordered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the instant messaging platform's updated privacy policy of 2021.</p>.<p>A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the single judge's April 22, 2021 order was well-reasoned and the appeals are devoid of merit and substance that would warrant the interference of this court.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/delhi-hc-dismisses-appeals-against-cci-probe-into-whatsapp-facebook-1139117.html" target="_blank">Delhi HC dismisses appeals against CCI probe into WhatsApp, Facebook</a></strong></p>.<p>While the judgement was pronounced by the division bench on Thursday, it was uploaded on the court's website on Friday.</p>.<p>The high court noted that the instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, occupies a dominant position in the market for OTT (over-the-top) messaging apps through smartphones in India.</p>.<p>In April last year, a single judge of the high court had refused to interdict the investigation directed by the CCI on the petitions moved by WhatsApp LLC and Facebook Inc - now Meta platforms.</p>.<p>In January last year, the CCI on its own had decided to look into WhatsApp's updated privacy policy based on news reports regarding the same.</p>
<p>The Delhi High Court has held that WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy places its users in a "take it or leave it" situation, virtually forcing them into an agreement by providing a mirage of choices and then sharing their data with its parent company Facebook.</p>.<p>The high court's verdict came while dismissing appeals of WhatsApp and Facebook against an order rejecting their challenge to a probe ordered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) into the instant messaging platform's updated privacy policy of 2021.</p>.<p>A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the single judge's April 22, 2021 order was well-reasoned and the appeals are devoid of merit and substance that would warrant the interference of this court.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/delhi-hc-dismisses-appeals-against-cci-probe-into-whatsapp-facebook-1139117.html" target="_blank">Delhi HC dismisses appeals against CCI probe into WhatsApp, Facebook</a></strong></p>.<p>While the judgement was pronounced by the division bench on Thursday, it was uploaded on the court's website on Friday.</p>.<p>The high court noted that the instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, occupies a dominant position in the market for OTT (over-the-top) messaging apps through smartphones in India.</p>.<p>In April last year, a single judge of the high court had refused to interdict the investigation directed by the CCI on the petitions moved by WhatsApp LLC and Facebook Inc - now Meta platforms.</p>.<p>In January last year, the CCI on its own had decided to look into WhatsApp's updated privacy policy based on news reports regarding the same.</p>