SC defers Meta-WhatsApp privacy policy case hearing to February 23

Core Viewpoint - The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing of Meta Platforms Inc and WhatsApp's appeals against a Competition Commission of India (CCI) penalty of ₹213.14 crore regarding privacy policy to February 23, 2025, due to the unavailability of senior advocate Kapil Sibal [1] Group 1: Legal Proceedings - The Supreme Court bench, including Chief Justice Surya Kant, made strong observations against Meta and WhatsApp, stating they cannot compromise citizens' privacy rights under the guise of data sharing and accused them of creating a market monopoly and stealing private information [2][3] - The court has allowed a litigant represented by senior advocate Arvind Datar to join the case [2] - An interim order is expected to be passed on February 9, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has also been included as a party in the appeals [5] Group 2: Previous Rulings - On November 4, 2025, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) overturned part of a CCI order that prohibited WhatsApp from sharing data with Meta for advertising for five years, while maintaining the ₹213 crore penalty [4] - The NCLAT clarified that its ruling on privacy and consent safeguards applies to user data collection and sharing for both advertising and non-advertising purposes [4]