WhatsApp is one of the social media apps that has transformed how we communicate. Its instant messaging capacity has made it one of the most popular social media platforms today.
Other WhatsApp features include individual and group chats, voice and video calling, sharing files, videos, photos, and uploading statuses. Like other social media apps, some users collect people’s phone numbers and use them to spam them on WhatsApp.
Others can share explicit content or harass you. If somebody is spamming, harassing, or sending you unsolicited explicit content, you can report their account so they get banned.
Unfortunately, they may not get banned after the first report. So, how many reports it takes to get banned on WhatsApp?
Usually, it takes multiple reports for WhatsApp to ban an account permanently. This is because they need to establish the facts of the report, review the information then decide the best course of action. After the first report, WhatsApp typically issues a warning or a temporary ban. If you report the account the second time, they may investigate and ban it after establishing the facts. A permanent ban means the number used in signing up for the account is barred from using the platform.
Read on to learn more about WhatsApp bans.
Overview of WhatsApp Bans
WhatsApp may ban an account for several reasons, but the main one is violating the app’s Terms of Service. Examples of Terms of Service violations that may result in a ban include spamming, scamming, harassment, and cyberbullying.
Before implementing a ban, WhatsApp will review the last few account activities and decide which action to take. Depending on the extent of your violation and whether it’s the first, WhatsApp may issue a warning or a temporary ban.
Besides violating the Terms of Service, other reasons WhatsApp may ban your account include using an unofficial WhatsApp version, creating too many groups, or messaging third parties.
WhatsApp has recently resolved to take strict measures against users of the unofficial WhatsApp version.
If you’re using an unofficial WhatsApp version, you may receive a temporary ban warning urging you to transfer your data and only retain the official app.
Creating too many groups without a solid agenda can also result in a ban. Usually, WhatsApp suspects people forming too many groups to be scammers looking to defraud unsuspecting users.
Like creating many groups, WhatsApp also issues temporary ban warnings against users constantly messaging users who are not in their contact list. This move is meant to reduce cases of fraud and harassment.
If a WhatsApp user violates the Terms of Service by harassing you or sending you inappropriate content, you can report the account to have it banned from the platform.
As noted earlier, it takes multiple reports to ban the account permanently. The ban is also subject to WhatsApp’s investigation and determination of the violation. Remember, reporting the account may not always result in a ban.
Next, we’ll cover the steps to report an account on WhatsApp.
Step-by-Step Guide To Reporting an Account on WhatsApp
If somebody is harassing you on WhatsApp and blocking their account hasn’t helped, you can report the account.
Here’s how to report an account on WhatsApp mobile app:
- Launch WhatsApp on your mobile device.
- Tap on the name of the contact you wish to report.
- Tap on the chat’s name at the top.
- Scroll down and tap “Report [name].”
- You can check or uncheck “Block contact and delete chat” and tap “Report.”
Reporting Groups on WhatsApp
In addition to individual accounts, WhatsApp users can also report a group. The process is similar to reporting an individual.
After reporting a group, WhatsApp will investigate its activities. The group will be banned if they find a violation, but the individual accounts will remain the same.
What Happens After Reporting?
After reporting an account, WhatsApp will forward the last five messages from the account for review.
If you block and delete the contact, messages from the account will disappear from your device, but the sender won’t receive a notification.
Remember, the first report may not result in an account ban. If you suspect the account is harassing other people, you can reach out to them and ask them to report it. Two or more reports may result in a permanent ban.
Like reporting a single account, WhatsApp also has a “Report” or “Report and Block” option for reporting a group. If you choose “Report,” WhatsApp will receive your complaint, but your group activity and messages will remain.
This means that you will still receive notifications from the account. If you choose “Report and Block,” you will exit and block the group, and their messages will disappear from your account.
It also takes multiple reports to ban a group from WhatsApp permanently.
Summary
If you’re wondering how many reports it takes to get an account banned from WhatsApp, the answer is two or more. After reporting an account, WhatsApp receives the last five messages and the account’s user ID.
After, they will investigate and determine the consequence fit for the violation. In most cases, one violation or report will result in a warning or a temporary ban. If two or more people report your account, it may result in a permanent ban.
