Though WhatsApp offers a Business app and API to help companies more easily communicate with customers, the company says using these tools to send out bulk or automated messages is against its Terms of Service. WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, but the company can still identify abuse to some degree using unencrypted information – such as profile photos or user reports – and AI. The company says it’s stopped “millions of abusive accounts” from running on its service. Still, some accounts find a way around WhatsApp’s AI, so now the company will begin to take legal action against abusers even if it discovers that information outside its platform. In the company’s own words: In other words, people or services flaunting their ability to advertise via WhatsApp or whom otherwise abuse bulk messaging may find themselves facing WhatsApp’s lawyers. It’s not hard to find such services with a quick Google search, so hopefully, this change will lead to at least a little less spam on the platform.
