Avoid WhatsApp API Restrictions and Bans: Key Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Introduction:

WhatsApp Business Platform aims to maintain a healthy ecosystem and quality user experience. To this end, it has established policies, terms of service, and guidelines for Business Accounts on the platform. WhatsApp prioritizes user privacy, security, and a spam-free environment as a communications platform with over 2 billion users. Thus, businesses who register for a business API account are expected to strictly follow Meta / WhatsApp policy and guidelines. This will help in ensuring continuous engagement with their customers without any disruption.

Violation of one or more of such policies can result in business accounts facing restrictions on their account. This may include restrictions on their messaging feature, the accounts being suspended, or disabling business API permanently. Such policies are laid out to discourage businesses from sending unsolicited communications to their customers, preventing illegal activities, and engaging in other activities that threaten the trust of WhatsApp platforms. The restrictions and limitations are placed on some business API accounts to maintain a quality user experience on the WhatsApp platform and prevent abuse.

Types of Restrictions by WhatsApp Business Platform:

1. Warnings: WhatsApp triggers caution to accounts indicating a potential policy violation. The objective is to warn accounts that their actions may not align with WhatsApp's Terms of Service, such as spam, misleading content, prohibited categories, etc.
2. Limiting #messages, users receive to maintain a healthy ecosystem: WhatsApp recent policy restricts the number of marketing messages a user gets from WhatsApp as a channel (across all business accounts). This is further governed by the engagement that users have with your messages (message read, replies, or clicks)
3. Outbound Message Restriction: A 1 or a 3-day block on outbound business-initiated messaging and also adding of a new phone number to the WhatsApp API account.
4. All conversation Suspension: Sending business-initiated messages, responding to customer-initiated messages, and adding new phone numbers are subject to a more severe policy violation with a 5,7 or 30-day restriction account.
5. WhatsApp Business Quality Rating: Whatsapp maintains an account quality rating based on feedback from message recipients, reflecting the degree of blocks, reports, or engagement with the account. Green (High Quality), Yellow (medium Quality), Red (Lowest Quality). Lower-quality rating accounts are downgraded with limited messaging limits and are not eligible for automatic scaling.
6. Termination of Account or Permanent Disabling: Businesses not making course corrections after multiple warnings, limits, and temporary restrictions by aligning to WhatsApp terms of service may face permanent termination
   

Reasons for Account Restrictions or a Complete Ban on your WhatsApp Business Account:

1. Improper business verification or identity information

WhatsApp places a strong impetus on compliance, trust, and transparency on its Business API platform. Any business that fails to comply with the requirements, faces a strong possibility of being banned or restricted. A list of possible reasons that could lead to an account restriction:

• Misleading or Fake documents – Submission of incorrect business details like name, address, legal status, or other information during verification
• Unverified Business Name–using a display name not related to your official or legal business entity violated WhatsApp’s display name guidelines.
• Incomplete Business Verification–Businesses using WhatsApp API with an incomplete verification or missing details COI, business registration, or Tax IDs
• Unauthorized use of brand logo and trademark: Improper use of a brand log or brand name infringing upon another entity’s trademark
• Registering a fake or inexistent business: Attempting to use a non-existent or unregistered business.
• Failure to provide additional information: WhatsApp keeps asking for more information regarding the business (Name, Contact number). Failure to provide relevant details can result in account restriction.s
• Creating Multiple WhatsApp API accounts: Multiple API accounts for the same business without proper authorization.
  

Best Practices to smooth business verification!

• Ensure the business profile is complete with accurate information
• Having a strong online presence (Linkedin, Website, Other Social media platforms) is suggested
• Ensure the WhatsApp Business Profile Display name is legitimate and related to your business legal entity or the brand name
• Engage with your WhatsApp Solution Provider (eg: Chakra) for guidance in the verification process and other communication with WhatsApp support
• Make yourself familiar with the verification guidelines and other best practices laid out by the WhatsApp Verification Policy
  

2. Spam and Unsolicited Messages:

WhatsApp aims to maintain high-quality conversations on its WhatsApp Business Platform while operating at scale. To avoid any adverse user experience, the WhatsApp platform strictly prohibits spamming and nonsolicited messaging. If businesses indulge in sending spam messages or promote prohibited categories, WhatsApp may start imposing messaging limits and restrictions gradually. If your account receives numerous negative feedback in terms of blocks and reports. A consistent low-quality rating may result in messaging limitations, temporary suspensions, or a permanent ban. Automated or bot-driven messaging must comply with WhatsApp's policies. Businesses should avoid excessive follow-ups or messages that are irrelevant to the user.

Ensure you adhere to WhatsApp Spam enforcement guidelines:

To avoid being limited, follow WhatsApp's opt-in requirements, send valuable content relevant to the user, and monitor feedback from users. Keeping a good sender reputation and following WhatsApp's fair usage is the way to long-term success on the platform. Familiarize your team with the WhatsApp spam enforcement policy and following the best practices is recommended.

3. Message Rate Limit Limitations

WhatsApp applies rate limits to the number of messages that a business using WhatsApp API can send to unique contacts within a specified amount of time. This is to prevent spam abuse and ensure a smooth experience for WhatsApp messaging users. If a business exceeds these limits it could face temporary restrictions or be downgraded in its messaging capabilities.

You can't send too many messages too quickly, either to one contact or to a bunch of users.  There are also daily limits and rules about messaging people outside of a 24-hour window after they last interacted with you (unless you're using pre-approved message templates). The type of rate limit that WhatsApp adds restrictions to:

- Rate Limits: Exceeding the allowed number of messages per second
- Daily Limits: Sending too many messages to your contact or group of contacts in a single day
- 24-hour window: Sending restrictions of non-templated messages outside the defined conversation window after the user's last message to the business

How to ensure messaging limits are complied with?

Businesses should gradually scale messaging volumes and diligently adhere to rate limits to avoid issues with rate limits. Staying within the assigned tier and ensuring opt-in compliance helps prevent disruptions in messaging operations. For more details on WhatsApp policy on messaging rate limits, refer to their guidelines here

4. Data Privacy Violations:

WhatsApp prioritizes user privacy and data security significantly. Businesses using the WhatsApp API solution are expected to adhere strictly to the laid down guidelines and Data Privacy Policies– e.g., GDPR (Europe), PDPB (India), and CCPA (California). WhatsApp may suspend or disable your business API account for such data privacy policy violations. As such policy is also governed by local laws, you may as well face legal actions as per local jurisdiction.

Best Practices to Avoid Data Privacy Violations:

It is important for businesses using the WhatsApp API solution to apply best practices to prevent any data privacy violation, which may result in restrictions, either temporary or permanent. Some of the common violations to avoid for them:

• Collecting and storing user data without consent
• Sharing user data with third parties
• Sending messages without obtaining user opt-in consent
• Security breaches and failure to protect user data

So, businesses need to have a robust policy in place to comply with user privacy guidelines. Ensuring secure data storage, limiting data collection while avoiding sharing it with other entities, and auditing your data practices are suggested ways to handle data responsibly.  Obtaining user consent, training your team, and having a transparent privacy policy on how the data is collected and stored are important governance aspects that all WhatsApp API business accounts should follow.

5. Use of any unofficial or unauthorized WhatsApp APIs:

WhatsApp allows businesses to use only WhatsApp Business API (provided by  BSPs and Meta partners). This ensures compliance, security, and a smooth experience for all the users. No compliance and use of unofficial API may lead to restrictions, permanent bans, or even legal action on such business accounts. Let’s understand why these violations should be taken seriously:

• Use of unofficial or modified APIs is a violation of WhatsApp terms of service.
• Unauthorized use of WhatsApp API could make them vulnerable to data breaches and misuse
• Bypassing the official WhatsApp API could lead to spamming of users
• Unofficial APIs are not normally compliant with WhatsApp's policy

Suggested Approach?

It is recommended that businesses interested in using a WhatsApp API should use an official WhatsApp API only by partnering with BSPs, Meta Tech partners, or Tech providers. They can help you with the end-to-end setup of your WhatsApp API account. In case you encounter any issues or have concerns about the API, directly contact WhatsApp official support and do not rely entirely on public or unofficial forums for issue resolution. You may check the list of Official WhatsApp Solution providers here

6. Violation of WhatsApp’s commerce policy

WhatsApp’s commerce policy outlines a set of products and services that businesses are allowed to sell on WhatsApp's Business platform. Noncompliance with this policy may lead to the API account being restricted from one or more of the WhatsApp Business products. Let’s understand the types of volitions which WhatsApp API business accounts should be cognizant of:

• Prohibited products: WhatsApp prohibits selling, buying, promoting, or even facilitating the exchange of restricted goods and services– alcohol, firearms, drugs, real money gambling, adult services, dating services
• Engaging in Fraudulent or Misleading practices: False advertisements, pyramid schemes, or misleading claims infringing intellectual property can lead to penalties on the Business API account
• Unauthorized Financial Services: Crypto trading, gambling, and other unregulated financial services are restricted.

How can Businesses avoid such violations?

• Read and review the WhatsApp Commerce Policy and stay compliant
• Avoid products/services during promotion/sale if on the prohibited list
• Use clear and transparent marketing to avoid any misleading claims
• Obtain all necessary licenses for regulated services
• Keep a check on quality ratings to preempt any potential violations
  

7. Misuse of WhatsApp Template Messages:

WhatsApp message templates are pre-approved messages that businesses use to initiate Utility, authentication, or marketing conversations with customers. Once the message templates are created, they undergo an approval process that can take up to 24 hours. Improper use of WhatsApp message templates can lead to restrictions on the messaging capability of the WhatsApp API account.

Reasons why WhatsApp could restrict your account messaging capabilities:

• Sending promotional content in non-promotional template types: Ensure you always create the relevant templates in the appropriate category
• Frequent template rejection: Drafting misleading message templates constantly even after rejection, which violates the template policy
• High rate of Reports and Blocks from message recipients: Sending irrelevant or not targeting to the right audience may lead to poor quality rating
• Lack of Opt-out options: It is always recommended to give clear, visible opt-out options for marketing message type
• Illegal or harmful content: Sending hateful illegal content that promotes disharmony may lead to account suspension

How to avoid WhatsApp Template Violations:

• Always obtain consent (Opt-in):
• Clear Opt-out option
• Transparent & relevant messaging (read more here)
• Maintain appropriate fair messaging frequency
• WhatsApp guidelines
  

8. Use of Inappropriate Content:

Use of any inappropriate content that is sexually explicit, discriminatory, offensive, and promotes violence and illegal behavior content during conversations of any form with customers is prohibited. The conversations would be of any form–template messages, chat conversations, video, images, or Click-to-WhatsApp-Ads.

WhatsApp frequently monitors the accounts and could take potential action for violating the Business Messaging Policy, leading to a warning, temporary restrictions, or even permanent account termination.  

How should accounts avoid the use of inappropriate content:

• All businesses should review and also comply with WhatsApp policies and guidelines to avoid any possible violations.
• Pre-screen all template messages to comply with WhatsApp policies on content
• Monitor free-form conversations that business users have with customers to keep the conversations healthy and appropriate for all.
• Screen all automated and bot-message settings to keep messaging quality high
  

9. Sending excessive broadcast messages to not opted-in WhatsApp users

WhatsApp Business requires businesses to obtain clear user consent (opt-in policy) before initiating conversations. This guideline, part of the WhatsApp Business Platform policy, aims to prevent spam and unsolicited messaging, ensuring that customers receive communication only from businesses they have explicitly agreed to engage with.

Violations of the opt-in policy and messages sent to customers without consent can result in restrictions on your WhatsApp API account.

Best practices to maintain a good opt-in consent practice:

• Obtain explicit opt-in consent through channels like SMS, website forms, Social media, email, phone, or in-person interactions.
• Communicate the purpose of the messages during the opt-in process.
• Highlight opt-out instructions prominently and ensure the process is simple and easy for customers.
• Maintain an updated list of opted-in and opted-out users to comply with customer preferences.
• Monitor quality metrics such as complaint rates, block rates, and engagement levels to identify and address issues.
• Display your business name clearly during the opt-in process and in all messages for transparency and trust.
  

10. Restricted Geographies: If you operate in a country where you are not eligible to use the WhatsApp Business Platform. These countries are Syria, North Korea, Cuba and Iran. Apart from this, there are some regions in Ukraine where the use of the WhatsApp Business Platform is restricted. Additionally, Users in all the above-mentioned countries/regions are also not allowed to receive messages from the WhatsApp Business Platform.

The restrictions on some regions from time to time or permanently are due to compliance with international sanctions and other regulations.

Solution for the above geographical restrictions?

There is no resolution possible in such restrictions on the use of WhatsApp Business Platform. You should keep reviewing the updated policy by WhatsApp on such limitations for the latest updates.

How to identify, assess, and solve restrictions imposed by the WhatsApp Business Platform on your account:

Step 1: Identify the type of Restriction

• Go to your WhatsApp Business Manager
• Navigate to and Click on Account Quality
• Pick the business account using the ☰ left navigation and go to the  WhatsApp section.
• Select your WhatsApp Business Account
• Review the Activity Issue and other remarks for the restrictions and Duration status: Temporary or Permanent
  

Step 2: Identify the activity issues: Your account may have violated some WhatsApp policy. Try to identify the reasons and validate the infringement. Messaging to non-opt-in users, incomplete business details, or other policy violations.

Step 3a: If the issue seems legitimate, work to resolve the issue through better Whatsapp policy and guideline enforcement. Take correction measures wherever relevant, sending messages only to opted-in customers, updating business details, etc. You can get help from your WhatsApp Solution Providers (e.g.: Chakra WhatsApp)

Step 3b: Appeal or follow best practices: If the highlighted activity issue leading to policy violation seems unwarranted, you can appeal for a review with the support team. The WhatsApp team reviews the policy violation appeals and re-evaluates if a reconsideration is warranted. Follow the below steps to appeal a review:

• Go to the Account Quality Page and select your WhatsApp Business Account.
• In the Activity Issue section and under the Available to Review header,  browse to the relevant violation and click on Request Review
• A ticket window opens up for you to provide all the supporting documentation related to the appeal
• Click Submit to complete the appeal.
• Typically, a 24-48 hour window is expected for violation appeals. The WhatsApp team will notify you about its response in your WhatsApp manager and by email.
• The decision status is either Unchanged or Reversed.

Conclusion:

Staying compliant with the WhatsApp Business Platform and its policies is essential to avoiding restrictions and ensuring uninterrupted operations. Businesses should adhere to all the important guidelines- e.g. opt-in rules, respect messaging limits, and adhere to spam, commerce policy, and data privacy guidelines. Violations can lead to warnings, temporary restrictions, or even permanent bans.

To prevent issues, monitor the account quality, engage with users responsibly, and work with official WhatsApp Solution Providers (e.g., Chakra WhatsApp). If your business account is restricted, try to identify the cause, take corrective action, or appeal if necessary. By following best practices, businesses can maximize WhatsApp’s potential while maintaining compliance and trust.