Spend more than a day on WhatsApp, and you’ll likely start getting spam messages, which you’re probably not answering to. Meta’s new idea to fight spam messages reaching users is to limit how many people can ghost someone before they lose the ability to send more messages. While that may not stop spam altogether, it’s likely to limit the amount of unwanted messages sent on the app.
WhatsApp will limit how many messages you can send without getting a response from unknown people
Meta’s idea is quite simple. Instead of complicated systems, WhatsApp will introduce a limit for how many messages users and businesses can send to unknown people without receiving a reply. All messages sent on the app will count against the new per-month limit, as long as they don’t get responses.
It’s still not clear how many messages you will need to send before hitting the limit, and Meta says it’s still testing different limits. The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that it’ll start testing the new limits in multiple countries over the next few weeks.
How often do you get spam on WhatsApp?
Almost all the time
22.22%
Sometimes, but not too often
22.22%
Almost never
33.33%
I’ve never had spam messages on WhatsApp
22.22%
I don’t use WhatsApp
0%
Once users are close to hitting the limit, WhatsApp will warn them by displaying a pop-up notification. In it, users will be able to see how many messages they have left before reaching the limit. That way, users will be able to avoid getting blocked from sending messages altogether.
Will this affect common users?
WhatsApp's context cards allows user to quickly leave a group they've been recently added to. | Image credit – Meta
Meta says that average users shouldn’t be affected by the new limits. The company says that most users won’t usually hit the limit because they’re designed to work against actual spammers. So, unless you’re blasting messages to all your friends, you should be in the clear.
Obviously, this new limit won’t solve WhatsApp’s spam issue, but it’s a smart way to limit its spread. I am sure there are enough spammy profiles that just blast messages to as many WhatsApp numbers as possible. This simple limit could stop such profiles and make spamming a bit more difficult.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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