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WhatsApp blocks over 2 million Indian accounts

MESSENGER service provider WhatsApp blocked over two million accounts in India during May-June for violating rules.

It said 95 per cent of the blocked users violated the limits of the number of times messages can be forwarded in India.


Around 2 million accounts in India sending a "high and abnormal rate of messages" were banned between May 15 and June 15, it said.

India, with about 400 million users, is the largest market for the Facebook-owned messaging service.

The company’s "top focus" has been to prevent accounts in India from sending harmful or unwanted messages at scale.

WhatsApp reportedly bans close to eight million accounts across the world every month, using advanced machine learning technology.

The service provider became the focus of discussions due to the spread of misinformation and fake news in India, as messages and videos circulating in bulk incited mob violence in India.

WhatsApp said it even deployed its own tools to prevent abuse on the platform, the BBC reported.

The firm's submissions come at a time when tech companies are embroiled in an intensifying battle with the Indian government over the new IT rules.

The guidelines - announced in February and became effective in May – envisages to regulate content on social media. and raised serious concerns about free speech and user privacy.

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How Britain’s tax system disadvantages physical businesses in the digital age

  • Britain now has the highest property tax burden among major advanced economies.
  • Businesses tied to shops, offices and warehouses say rising taxes are hurting investment plans.
  • As digital firms operate with lighter footprints, pressure is growing on the UK’s physical economy.

Britain’s economy has changed dramatically over the past decade. Offices are quieter, shopping has shifted online and many companies now operate with fewer physical assets than ever before. Yet the country’s tax system still leans heavily on land, buildings and physical space.

From business rates and council tax to stamp duty, property-linked taxes now generate roughly £100 billion ($136 billion) a year for the government. According to analysis by Ryan, a tax firm, the UK has the highest property tax burden among major advanced economies, with such taxes accounting for 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product. France and Canada follow at 3.4 per cent, while Belgium and Luxembourg stand at 3.3 per cent.

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