Setback for Facebook and WhatsApp, Delhi HC refuses to stay CCI probe

Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the notice sent by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to social media firms Facebook and WhatsApp and allowed the watchdog to proceed with its probe on issues pertaining to WhatsApp’s revised policy.

Earlier on June 4, CCI had issued notice to Facebook and Whatsapp seeking information on 22 issues on WhatsApp’s revised privacy policy. The competition watchdog had warned of penalties against Facebook and WhatsApp in case of non-compliance with the notice.

The social media company had then moved to Delhi High Court seeking to stay the probe and notice. WhatsApp had argued that the CCI notice smack of overreach with the matter pending before Delhi HC and SC.

The High Court “urged” CCI to “bear in mind” that a division bench of the HC is considering the case.

CCI assured the court that processing of information sought from Facebook and WhatsApp will take time and submits that it cannot present any final report before the next hearing on July 9.

On March 24, CCI had directed a probe on Facebook and WhatsApp for competition act violations through the introduction of WhatsApp’s revised privacy policy. Following this, on April 22, a single-judge bench of the Delhi HC had refused to stay the CCI probe against them. CNBCTV18