WhatsApp can't read user messages, but routinely ban accounts; here's how

Meta-owned WhatsApp banned 14 lakh Indian accounts between February 1 and 28, said the company’s latest transparency monthly report released on April 1. In January 2022, the social media platform banned 18.58 lakh Indian accounts and has, from May 15 to December 31 last year, summarily removed 15.2 million accounts. (Globally, the company disables 8 million accounts every month!)

This is quite a significantly large number. Should Indians be worried that their WhatsApp can suddenly disappear without a trace, since the platform removes accounts with zero warning? The Federal explains what can keep you from getting into this social media giant’s bad books.

On what grounds does WhatsApp ban accounts?

Users who routinely and innocuously message friends and family or forward cringeworthy jokes are not going to be hauled off the platform. According to WhatsApp’s user safety report, which it is mandated to submit every month, 95 per cent of the accounts that have been banned are the ones that send unauthorised bulk messaging, which are classified as spam.

So, if you are not one of those hawking something or peddling hate and divisive messages, you need not worry. According to WhatsApp rules, it clearly states that “…sending illegal or impermissible communications such as bulk messaging, auto-messaging, auto-dialing, and the like are barred…”. Likewise, as per WhatsApp’s terms and conditions, you can be banned for sending “illegal, obscene, defamatory, threatening, intimidating, harassing, hateful messages”.

Another thing that can get you banned from WhatsApp is “impersonating someone”. Also, you can be summarily dismissed if you send viruses or malware to other users using its platform or play around with its coding.

How can an end-to-end encrypted platform read your message?

WhatsApp has proudly proclaimed from the rooftops that it is an end-to-end (E2E) encrypted platform. Theoretically, this means that WhatsApp can’t read your messages. In fact, it cannot listen in on your calls or deploy any kind of content detection software to decode your messages. Then, on what grounds is WhatsApp lifting you off the platform without seeing your messages?

But the American social giant has an answer. According to a detailed white paper issued by WhatsApp, the platform has an “abuse detection” mechanism that screens accounts in three stages: when an account is made at the registration level; when it studies the manner in which messages are sent; and thirdly, if the account is getting reported or blocked by too many users.

In fact, 14.26 lakh accounts were banned this February using this abuse detection approach, which also includes negative feedback received by the platform from the users via the “Report” feature as well.

Also read: WhatsApp may soon allow users to conduct polls within chat groups

Can my WhatsApp account be blocked if many users block me?

WhatsApp claims to take user feedback seriously. If a particular account gets blocked or reported by too many users then WhatsApp’s algorithm also gets alerted, claims the platform. In fact, in January, the company received 335 such reports and 21 of them were actioned.

The company’s machine learning systems review and categorise the reports to allow it to understand the motivation of the account. And, the platform tries to learn if they are they trying to sell a product or seed misinformation.

In short, you can also be removed from WhatsApp, if too many users block you in a short span of time.

How does WhatsApp figure out bad behaviour?

According to the WhatsApp White Paper, normal users operate relatively slowly on WhatsApp, tapping messages one at a time or occasionally forwarding content. “The intensity of user activity can provide a signal that accounts are abusing WhatsApp,” it said.

“For example, an account that registered five minutes before attempting to send 100 messages in 15 seconds is almost certain to be engaged in abuse, as is an account that attempts to quickly create dozens of groups or add thousands of users to a series of existing groups,” it added.

Over the years, the company claims to have also consistently invested in artificial intelligence and other state-of-the-art technology, data scientists and experts, and in processes, to weed out troublesome users.

How sound is the end-to-end encrypted service?

The WhatsApp FAQ page states that WhatsApp has no ability to see the content of messages or listen to calls that are end-to-end encrypted. That’s because the encryption and decryption of messages sent and received on WhatsApp occur entirely on your device.

“Before a message ever leaves your device, it’s secured with a cryptographic lock, and only the recipient has the keys. In addition, the keys change with every single message that’s sent. While all of this happens behind the scenes, you can confirm your conversations are protected by checking the security verification code on your device.”

But how do chats by Bollywood stars then get leaked?

According to experts, usually, the phone has to be physically accessed and the user is made to unlock it (by, say, enforcement personnel). Once unlocked, all the chats are accessible. Screenshots can be taken, copied and shared. This is how the leaks happen.

Sometimes, even if it is not unlocked, forensics teams can open messages. WhatsApp chats are encrypted but until a while ago, Chat Backups that WhatsApp was making to Google Drive or iCloud were not encrypted. These chat backups could be accessed using some specialised tools.

However, a ProPublica investigation report, quoted by Indian news websites, said that the company does examine only messages from threads that have been reported by users as possibly abusive. It does not break its end-to-end encryption.

The ProPublica report was based on observations of 1,000 contract workers of WhatsApp that it claims examine millions of user content. It adds that these workers have access to special Facebook software to check private WhatsApp messages, images, and videos. However, the report clarified that only the messages a user reports get scrutinised.

“These contractors pass judgment on whatever flashes on their screen — claims of everything from fraud or spam to child porn and potential terrorist plotting — typically in less than a minute,” the report added. But only the last five messages of the user are shared with its workers.

Also read: Amid Ukraine crisis, here’s how users can secure WhatsApp, Meta accounts

How do you file grievances about users?

The user safety monthly reports are meant to be published by social media firms under the Rule 4(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

The monthly report captures the grievances from users in India received via the emails and posts sent to the grievance officer of the messaging platform. WhatsApp users can file a complaint by emailing their concern to grievance_officer_wa@support.whatsapp.com.

“To contact the Grievance Officer, please send an email with your complaint or concern and sign with an electronic signature. If you’re contacting us about a specific account, please include your phone number in full international format, including the country code,” reads the official website.