WhatsApp Line Rules

Product: Whatsapp Customer Engagement

User Consent

  • Opt-In: Businesses must obtain explicit user consent before sending messages. Users must agree to receive communications from the business.
  • Opt-Out: Users should have an easy way to unsubscribe from messages. Businesses must promptly respect these requests.

Message Types

  • Transactional Messages: These include order confirmations, delivery updates, and other non-promotional content. They are allowed as long as the user has opted in.
  • Promotional Messages: WhatsApp has strict rules on sending promotional content, typically allowed only through paid WhatsApp Business API channels.

Template Messages

  • Pre-Approved Templates: Any message sent outside the 24-hour customer service window must use a pre-approved message template, which must adhere to WhatsApp’s guidelines and not contain promotional content.

24-Hour Customer Service Window

  • User-Initiated Conversations: Businesses can freely communicate with users within a 24-hour window from the user’s last message. After 24 hours, only pre-approved templates can be used to reach out to the user.

Prohibited Content

  • Sensitive Information: Sharing personal, sensitive, or financial information is strictly regulated.
  • Illegal Activities: Content related to illegal activities, hate speech, violence, or any form of discrimination is prohibited.
  • Spam: Sending unsolicited messages or spamming users is against WhatsApp policies.

Privacy and Security

  • Data Protection: Businesses must handle user data responsibly and comply with applicable data protection laws.
  • End-to-End Encryption: WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that only the sender and receiver can read them.

Account Verification

  • Business Verification: Businesses must complete the verification process to gain access to the WhatsApp Business API. This process ensures the authenticity of the business and provides users with a verified badge.

Compliance with Local Laws

  • Regional Regulations: Businesses must comply with local regulations and laws, including consumer protection laws and data privacy laws, in the regions they operate.

Quality and Trust

  • Quality Ratings: WhatsApp monitors the quality of business interactions. Poor quality ratings can result in restrictions or suspension of the business account.
  • User Reports: Businesses with high volumes of user reports for spam or abuse may face penalties or account deactivation.

For more details about WhatsApp Business policies, please visit the following sources: