You might have heard about apps such as GB WhatsApp or WhatsApp Plus. These applications are modified versions of WhatsApp that come with a couple of extra features. However, they are not official apps, which means that users put themselves at risk when downloading them. More than that, those apps use data from WhatsApp, including chats, groups and anything else is there.
Now it appears that WhatsApp will finally start taking measures. WABetaInfo suggests that those who use the unofficial apps might be banned in the future. As it turns out, WhatsApp updated its FAQ in order to include this information.
A WhatsApp spokesperson also offered a reply:
“WhatsApp cares deeply about the safety of our users. To protect the privacy and security of their account, we strongly recommend users only download WhatsApp from official app stores or from our website. We are continuing to step up our enforcement against imposter WhatsApp services to help curb abuse and keep WhatsApp users safe.”
Will the ban be permanent?
Here’s the text added to the FAQ page:
“Unsupported apps, such as WhatsApp Plus and GB WhatsApp, are altered versions of WhatsApp. These unofficial apps are developed by third parties and violate our Terms of Service. WhatsApp doesn’t support these third-party apps because we can’t validate their security practices.”
If we continue to read the FAQ we discover that this isn’t a permanent ban, simply a temporary one. We are not surprised by this decision, as permanent bans would’ve only made people stop using WhatsApp, which isn’t the goal of the company.
The ban will last for 24 hours during which the banned user won’t be able to send any messages. If you use any unofficial variant of WhatsApp, especially WhatsApp Plus or GB WhatsApp, it is recommended that you switch back to the official WhatsApp as soon as possible.
Nora Reynolds is a major in biology and a minor in Biological Basis of Behavior, writing about science in general. She also likes to try new gadgets and sports about the AI new era.
