WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy

Last Modified: October 25, 2022

This policy governs your use of WhatsApp Business Services (as defined in the WhatsApp Business Terms), including those listed below.

• The WhatsApp Business app
• The WhatsApp Business Solution, which is comprised of the WhatsApp Business Client and the WhatsApp Business APIs. If you are using the WhatsApp Business Solution as a service provider on behalf of your Clients, these policies apply to your use and your Clients’ use of the WhatsApp Business Solution.
• Other WhatsApp Business offerings or features that we may provide to you in the future.

• Follow any guidelines and instructions in technical and product documentation.
• Maintain a WhatsApp Business profile with customer support contact information and one or more of the following: email address, website address, and/or telephone number. Keep all information accurate and up-to-date. You must not impersonate another business or otherwise mislead customers as to the nature of your business.
• You may only contact people on WhatsApp if: (a) they have given you their mobile phone number; and (b) they have agreed to be contacted by you over WhatsApp. Do not confuse, deceive, defraud, mislead, spam, or surprise people with your communications.
• You must respect all requests (either on or off WhatsApp) by a person to block, discontinue, or otherwise opt out of communications from you via WhatsApp, including removing that person from your contacts list.

• The below sections on "Opt-in" and "Acceptable Message Types" only apply to the WhatsApp Business Solution (WhatsApp Business API).
  • Opt-in:
    • In order to initiate a WhatsApp message to a person, you must first receive opt-in permission confirming that they wish to receive future messages from you on WhatsApp. The opt-in must (a) clearly state that the person is opting in to receive messages from you over WhatsApp and (b) clearly state your business’ name.
    • You are solely responsible for determining the method of opt-in, that you have obtained opt-in in a manner that complies with laws applicable to your communications, and that you have otherwise provided notices and obtained permissions that are required under applicable law.
    • To help ensure a strong user experience, review the Opt-in best practices suggested below.
  • Acceptable Message Types:
    • You may only initiate conversations using an approved Message Template (as defined in our documentation). This is considered a business-initiated conversation,which is subject to applicable pricing. Any Message Template must comply with our terms and these policies, and only be used for its designated purpose. We have the right to review, approve and reject any Message Template at any time.
    • You may reply to a user message without use of a Message Template as long as it's within 24 hours of the last user message. Conversations initiated by users open once the first business reply message is delivered. Standard pricing applies for these user-initiated conversations. Outside the 24-hour customer service window, you may only send messages via approved Message Templates, for which we will charge the business-initiated conversation rate.
    • You may use automation when responding during the 24-hour window, but must also have available prompt, clear, and direct escalation paths. These escalation paths include:
      • In-Chat Human Agent transfer
      • Phone number
      • Email
      • Web support (on the business website)
      • In-store visits (ex: visit retail store, bank branch)
      • Support form

• You are responsible for and must secure all necessary notices, permissions, and consents to collect, use, and share people's content and information, including maintaining a published privacy policy, and otherwise complying with applicable law.
• Don't use any data obtained from us about a person you message within WhatsApp, other than the content of message threads, for any purpose other than as reasonably necessary to support messaging with that person.
• Don't share or ask people to share full length individual payment card numbers, financial account numbers, personal ID card numbers, or other sensitive identifiers.
• Don’t use WhatsApp for telemedicine or to send or request any health information, if applicable regulations prohibit distribution of such information to systems that do not meet heightened requirements to handle health information.
• You may not forward or otherwise share information from a customer chat with any other customer.

• We prohibit organizations and/or individuals engaged in terrorist or organized criminal activity from using the WhatsApp Business Services.
• We prohibit the use of the WhatsApp Business Services to facilitate or organize criminal activity, including exploiting or causing physical, financial, or other harm to people, businesses, or animals.
• We prohibit the use of the WhatsApp Business Services for operating, buying, selling, promoting, or otherwise facilitating the exchange of illegal products or services.
• We prohibit use of the WhatsApp Business Services for buying, selling, promoting, or otherwise facilitating the exchange of certain regulated or restricted goods and services, as determined in our sole discretion, including:
  • Firearms
  • Alcohol and tobacco
  • Drugs, whether prescription, recreational, or otherwise
  • Medical and healthcare products
  • Endangered species (wildlife and plants)
  • Live non-endangered animals excluding livestock
  • Hazardous goods and materials
  • Real, virtual, or fake currency, including ICOs and binary options
  • Body parts or fluids
  • Business models, goods, items, or services that we determine may be or are fraudulent, misleading, offensive, or deceptive, or may be or are exploitative, inappropriate, or exert undue pressure on targeted groups
  • Real-money gambling
  • Adult products and services
  • Dating services
  • Multi-level marketing
  • Payday loans, paycheck advances, P2P lending, debt collection, and bail bonds
    
    These prohibitions apply irrespective of the global or local licenses, registrations, or other approvals your business may hold.

● Organizations must not wrongfully discriminate or suggest a preference for or against people because of a personal characteristic, included but not limited to, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status, marital status, disability, or medical or genetic condition. Organizations must comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination.

● Messages must not contain offensive content, for example sexually explicit materials or nudity, determined at our sole discretion.

● Organizations that primarily publish news content must be registered as a news Page through Facebook.

● If you use Commerce Catalogs on the WhatsApp Business app, or provide any other commerce experiences to sell or otherwise facilitate the exchange of goods or services prohibited by the Commerce Policy, then we may prohibit you from using some or all of the WhatsApp Business Services.

• We may limit or remove your access to or use of the WhatsApp Business Services if you receive excessive negative feedback, cause harm to WhatsApp or our users, or violate or encourage others to violate our terms or policies, as determined by us in our sole discretion.
• If you use or operate a service which utilizes WhatsApp in violation of our terms or policies, such as messaging people at scale in an unauthorized manner, we have the right to limit or remove your access to WhatsApp's services.
• WhatsApp may update this WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy ("Change") without notice (unless such notice is required by law); by continuing to use the WhatsApp Business Services after such Change, you consent to such Change.
• If we terminate your account for violations of relevant WhatsApp Business terms or policies, we may prohibit you and your organization from all future use of WhatsApp products and services.

Driving high quality conversations between people and businesses is a top priority. People can block or report businesses and our systems will rate limit businesses if the business' quality is low for a sustained period of time. We may also reactively evaluate a business' opt-in flows, including review of user feedback, to flag policy violations and develop additional types of enforcement over time.

Best practices to create a high-quality opt-in experience:

• Users should expect the messages they receive. You can set this expectation by:
• Obtaining an opt-in that encompasses the different categories of messages that you will send (ex: order updates, relevant offers, product recommendations, etc.)
• Obtaining separate opt-in by specific message category
  • This mitigates the risk that users will block your business because they receive unsolicited messages.
• Provide clear instructions for how people can opt out of receiving specific categories of messages, and honor these requests.
• Ensure your opt-in and opt-out flows are clear and intuitive for users.
• Clearly communicate the value of receiving this information on WhatsApp.