Delhi HC issues notice on Facebook, WhatsApp pleas challenging CCI order on new privacy policy
May 06, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 6 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice in the petitions of WhatsApp and Facebook challenging the Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy.
The Division Bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh sought the response of all respondents and slated the matter for May 21.
The Single Bench Justice Navin Chawla on April 22 had dismissed Facebook and WhatsApp pleas challenging a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy.
The petitioners have challenged the March 24 order passed by CCI directing a probe into the new privacy policy and the probe should be completed within 60 days.
Facebook and WhatsApp, said that since the issue of WhatsApp's privacy policy is being heard by the Supreme Court, High Court therefore there was no requirement of CCI to order the probe.
Senior Advocate Harish Salve and Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the petitioners and told the court that CCI proceedings must be kept in abeyance as the matter is pending before Supreme Court, High Court, etc.
Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, who represented CCI in the matter, had earlier told the court that the matter is not of privacy but access to data and the Competition is going to deal with metadata. ASG Lekhi responded that data can have a privacy or competition dimension. He also said that the issue is completely competition-based as understanding consumer behaviour and preferences facilitate targeted advertising.
