6 don’ts to save a WhatsApp account from being banned
WhatsApp is perhaps one of the most popular instant messaging services worldwide that is extensively used by today’s adults and school students alike. Hence, the news of as 20 lakhs accounts being banned by WhatsApp in India since October 2020. Earlier, from 2019 to 2020, WhatsApp had banned more than 30.27 lakh accounts on grounds of violation of its terms of services.
The recent ban has been enforced in India under the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021 to stop the spread of fake news, spam messages and misinformation and in turn safeguard the interests of millions of WhatsApp users in India.
For this reason, everyone, especially youngsters need to be careful about what they do and share on WhatsApp. Under no circumstances should they iolate the Meta-owned messaging app’s terms of services. Here’s how to prevent a WhatsApp account from being banned.
Do not attempt impersonation or creating a fake account
WhatsApp follows strict guidelines when it comes to impersonation or creating fake accounts using someone else’s identity and personal information. If found guilty of these unethical practices, WhatsApp may ban the account without any warning.
Refrain from sending too many texts to unknown contacts
If WhatsApp finds out that someone is sending too many texts to people who aren’t in their contact list, i.e., the user is indulging in spamming, it may go ahead and ban that account. So, one should refrain from bulk texting, auto-texting, auto-dialling and such other illegal or impermissible modes of communication.
Refrain from using third-party apps
WhatsApp doesn’t allow usage of third-party apps like WhatsApp Delta, GB WhatsApp or WhatsApp Plus on grounds of privacy. This is why one should refrain from using such apps and stick to the official WhatsApp app.
Refrain from sending violent, threatful or overtly sexual texts and media
WhatsApp’s terms and services clearly state that any form of obscene, defamatory, violent, sexual, harassing, intimidating, threatening, or hateful texts or sharing of media are illegal or unethical practices and the accounts that practise these may get banned anytime from the platform.
Save your account from being reported against
If too many WhatsApp users report, complain or block a particular account, WhatsApp may consider it to be a fake account or a source of spamming and issue a ban on it.
Do not send malware or phishing links
Individuals who send malwares in the format of APK files or forward phishing links to other users may get banned by WhatsApp.