New Delhi, Feb. 4 -- India's top court has sent an unambiguous message to global digital platforms operating at scale: user trust cannot be conditional.

During a sharp hearing on WhatsApp's data practices, the Supreme Court rebuked the messaging platform and its parent, Meta, directing WhatsApp to completely stop sharing user data and submit a signed affidavit and undertaking from its management confirming compliance.

The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, was hearing appeals filed by WhatsApp and Meta against a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order that upheld a Rs.213.14 crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) over WhatsApp's updated privacy policy introduced in 2021.

What unfo...