NCLAT Ruling Reshapes Digital Ads: Meta's Loss, Google's Gain

• NCLAT ruling limits Meta's use of WhatsApp data for advertising without explicit user consent, forcing a "consent pivot" in digital marketing.
• While immediate budget shifts from Meta are unlikely due to outcome-based pricing, long-term efficiency of WhatsApp campaigns will decline as consented user pools shrink.
• Marketers will increasingly shift budgets towards platforms like Google, YouTube, retail media, and publisher platforms that offer clearer consent, intent, or context.
• The ruling accelerates investment in first-party data strategies, CRM integration, and consent management platforms, moving from "surveillance-driven efficiency" to "consent-driven accountability."
• This decision significantly impacts Meta's core growth engine (click-to-WhatsApp ads) by weakening its ad targeting capabilities, while increasing compliance costs for advertisers.

Why It Matters: NCLAT ruling forces Meta to get explicit consent for WhatsApp data, shifting ad spend to Google, YouTube.