Business messaging for certain verticals not allowed in specific countries, including India: Meta clarifies

New Delhi: On Thursday, Meta clarified its WhatsApp business messaging policy update, which had caused some confusion due to the inclusion of alcohol and gambling ads that are not permitted in India.

The company explained that the platform adheres to local laws, meaning certain types of business messaging will be restricted in specific countries, including India.

The Meta spokesperson said, “When we set business policies for our service, we respect local laws, and therefore certain business messaging or other types of communication are not going to be allowed in certain countries, including India. The referenced communication lacked that precision that is reflected in our formal policies and documents."

On Tuesday, August 20, 2024, Meta updated its WhatsApp Business messaging policy, stating that businesses in the alcohol, OTC medication, and real-money gambling sectors can now use the WhatsApp Business Platform for marketing across the APAC and LATAM regions, including India.

A source told BestMediaInfo.com that the policy will be updated and will reflect the countries where businesses can use WhatsApp to send business messaging on regulated verticals.