Help on WhatsApp
However, there are additional restrictions.
Restrictions for government and related organizations
The use of foreign messaging services (including WhatsApp) is prohibited for:
— state and municipal institutions;
— companies with more than 50% state ownership;
— banking and non-banking financial institutions;
— participants of the national payment system.
These organizations are prohibited from using WhatsApp for:
— providing state and municipal services;
— transmitting payment documents and account information;
— connecting payment systems.
The following is allowed:
— processing initial customer inquiries;
— sending a link to continue the conversation in an approved channel (for example, VK Messenger);
— sending commercial offers.
Commercial organizations
Commercial organizations may use WhatsApp provided they comply with the following requirements:
— obtain the customer’s consent for personal data processing and cross-border data transfer;
— notify Roskomnadzor about the cross-border transfer of personal data;
— inform customers about the purposes of personal data processing;
— ensure the protection of personal data.
Recommendations
Roskomnadzor recommends using domestic communication channels to exchange personal and confidential data.
ChatApp supports integration with VK Messenger and email, allowing WhatsApp to be used for the initial contact while transferring further communication to a secure channel.
The organization acting as the personal data controller is solely responsible for compliance with applicable legislation.
Main reasons for a permanent block:
— mass messaging and signs of spam;
— a large number of user complaints;
— repeated temporary restrictions;
— use of unofficial versions of WhatsApp;
— suspected automation or fraudulent activity.
More information about the reasons for account blocks is available in the section:
“Reasons for WhatsApp account blocks and restrictions”
What you can do:
— submit an appeal for review through the WhatsApp application;
— use the Help / Support section in the WhatsApp application.
⚠️ Only WhatsApp decides whether to block or unblock an account.
ChatApp cannot remove a WhatsApp account block.
To reduce the risk of future restrictions or permanent blocks, see the section:
“How to reduce the risk of WhatsApp account blocks and restrictions”.
How the restriction may appear:
— messages may not be delivered or may be delivered with a delay;
— message delivery may be partially or completely restricted;
— repeated attempts to send messages to the same numbers may fail;
— sending messages to new contacts may be unavailable;
— linked devices may be temporarily disconnected.
In most cases, the restriction is removed automatically after the specified period expires.
⚠️ Repeated restrictions may become more severe and last longer.
Reasons for a temporary WhatsApp restriction:
— sending messages to new contacts with whom there has been no previous conversation;
— user complaints about your messages or your WhatsApp account;
— signs of mass messaging or spam activity;
— suspected automated behavior (bot activity);
— using unofficial methods to work with WhatsApp (emulators, automation);
— when attempting to resend messages from the mobile WhatsApp app to the same numbers where delivery previously failed, you may see a warning (an exclamation mark or a single check mark). Learn more.
How to restore normal operation:
— stop mass messaging for several days;
— give the account a “cooling-off” period;
— restart the channel in the ChatApp account (Line settings → WhatsApp → Restart);
— if necessary, switch the WhatsApp application type on your phone (from WhatsApp Business to WhatsApp Messenger or vice versa);
— contact WhatsApp Support through the application (Settings → Help → Contact Us);
— in some cases, replacing the WhatsApp account is the simplest solution.
How to reduce the risk of another restriction:
— do not send mass messages to cold contacts;
— avoid sending identical template messages;
— increase account activity gradually;
— communicate in the format of regular conversations rather than mass messaging.
In this situation:
— messages may be sent with a delay;
— some messages may not reach recipients;
— messages may remain queued for delivery;
— sending messages to new contacts may be restricted.
This is most commonly caused by suspicious account activity.
Recommended actions:
— temporarily stop mass messaging;
— reduce account activity for several days;
— communicate only with existing customers;
— restart WhatsApp in the ChatApp account.
Main reasons:
- Suspicious activity:
— sending a large number of messages within a short period of time;
— a sudden increase in activity on a newly created account;
— sending identical messages in bulk;
— automated actions performed without pauses;
— frequent actions that do not resemble normal user behavior. - Customer database practices:
— sending messages to new contacts;
— sending messages to users without their consent;
— sending messages to phone numbers that are not registered on WhatsApp;
— sending a large number of messages without receiving customer responses. - User complaints:
— complaints about your messages or your WhatsApp account;
— users blocking your WhatsApp account;
— negative reactions to intrusive messages. - Technical reasons:
— using unofficial versions of WhatsApp (emulators);
— suspicious account logins from different devices.
Recommended sequence:
— do not connect the number to a ChatApp line during the first 24 hours after registration;
— during the first few days, communicate manually through the WhatsApp mobile application;
— gradually increase the number of messages sent each day;
— avoid sudden spikes in activity during the first 10 days.
Communication approach:
— it is better when the customer initiates the conversation;
— preferably communicate with contacts who already know your phone number;
— do not use cold contact lists without prior consent.
Conversation quality:
— aim for customer replies in at least 50% of conversations;
— maintain real conversations instead of one-way mass messaging;
— include a question in the first message.
Messages:
— personalize messages by addressing the customer by name;
— avoid sending the same template message to everyone;
— several short messages are preferable to one long message;
— allow recipients to opt out of future messages (for example: “Reply STOP”).
Activity:
— avoid sending too many messages in a row;
— leave pauses between messages;
— avoid very high messaging volumes from a single account.
— submit an appeal through the official WhatsApp application and wait for a response from WhatsApp Support;
— after the account is restored, do not immediately resume mass messaging;
— warm up the phone number again before increasing activity;
— use the account carefully during the first 10 days after unblocking.
If your account is repeatedly blocked, it is recommended to replace it with a new WhatsApp account and start using it following the recommended safe practices.
To reduce the risk of future restrictions or permanent blocks, see the section:
“How to reduce the risk of WhatsApp account blocks and restrictions”.
