New Delhi, 3 February 2026: The Supreme Court has given strict orders to social media giants Meta and WhatsApp regarding the privacy of Indian users. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (CJI) Surya Kant has made it clear that the privacy of users is paramount and no compromise will be allowed in it. The court termed Meta’s current policy as ‘misleading’ and has sought written assurance from the company.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Surya Kante has ordered WhatsApp and Meta to file a clear affidavit. In this undertaking, the company will have to state in writing that it will not share the users’ data with other platforms. The CJI had contended that Meta Data Policy is so complex that a common man cannot understand it, which is a very serious matter.

The Supreme Court has warned the company that, if a clear affidavit is not submitted within the stipulated time, the court will directly dismiss the case. Meta has also been asked to be prepared to face legal consequences for not following the order.

The court observed that in the name of technology, games cannot be played with users’ data. Meta’s data sharing policies are difficult for the general public to understand and can be confusing. Due to this strict attitude of the court, there is a possibility that the rules for sharing user data on Indian soil may become more stringent for WhatsApp.

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