by WhatsApp has become the most popular messaging platform in the world with over one billion users worldwide.
As with any major service, there are terms of use which need to be adhered to. If not, you could find yourself banned – either permanently or temporarily – from the platform.
What Will Happen If You Get Banned From WhatsApp
If you’re permanently banned, you’ll see the following message :
“Your phone number is banned from using WhatsApp. Contact support for help.“
WhatsApp says that they ban accounts if they believe the account activity is in violation of their Terms of Service, so it’s in your best interest to learn more about the appropriate uses of WhatsApp and the activities that could violate them.
It’s worth noting that the company might not issue a warning before banning your account. If you think your account was banned by mistake, you should contact them and they will look into your case.
72 hours after your account has been banned, your friends will no longer be able to see you in their Favourites list (also known as the Contacts tab on Android).
What To Do If You Have Been Banned
If you see the message “You’re temporarily banned from WhatsApp”, here’s what you need to know:
If WhatsApp suspects that your account activity constitutes an abuse of their system or a violation of their Terms of Service, your account will be temporarily banned from using WhatsApp. You will then receive a warning message in the app which contains the duration of this temporary ban.
During the temporary ban, you will not be able to access any part of your WhatsApp account. You will, however, be able to use your account again after the countdown timer runs out.
To receive more information about this temporary ban, tap on the ‘Learn More’ option you see on the screen.
How To Prevent Being Banned From WhatsApp
Activity that can lead to this temporary ban includes (but is not limited to):
- Sending too many messages to users who do not have your number saved in their address books. Make sure that you ask all of your WhatsApp contacts to add your current number to their address books.
- Being blocked by too many people in a short period of time. Make sure you only communicate with people who want to receive messages from you.
- Creating too many groups that contain users who do not list you in their address books. Make sure that you ask all of your WhatsApp contacts to add your current number to their address books.
- Sending the same message to too many people. Use Broadcast Lists to send the same message to your contacts.
- Violating their Terms of Service.
