Permitted uses
WhatsApp Marketing Automation is built for legitimate business communication with people who have opted in to receive messages from you. Examples of permitted use:
- Transactional notifications (orders, shipping, OTP, receipts)
- Customer support and service-desk replies
- Marketing broadcasts to opted-in subscribers
- Appointment reminders, calendar booking, and follow-ups
- Catalog browsing, in-thread checkout, and payment confirmations
- Click-to-WhatsApp ad funnels via Meta Ads
Strictly prohibited
You may not use WhatsApp Marketing Automation to:
Spam & unsolicited messaging
- Send messages to anyone who has not explicitly opted in
- Send bulk messages to scraped, purchased, or harvested contact lists
- Continue messaging after a recipient has requested to stop
Illegal content
- Distribute malware, phishing links, viruses, or harmful code
- Promote or facilitate illegal activities including fraud, money-laundering, gambling (where prohibited), drugs, weapons, or human trafficking
- Share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) — instantly reported to NCMEC and law enforcement
Harmful behaviour
- Harassment, hate speech, threats, or doxing of any individual or group
- Impersonation of any person, brand, or government entity
- Deceptive practices including fake reviews, pyramid schemes, or false advertising
Technical abuse
- Reverse engineering, decompiling, or attempting to extract source code
- Probing, scanning, or testing the vulnerability of our infrastructure (except via our bug-bounty program)
- Bypassing rate limits, quotas, or abuse-prevention measures
- Creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions or limits
WhatsApp policy compliance
All messages sent through WhatsApp Marketing Automation are subject to Meta's WhatsApp Business Policy. Violating Meta's policy may result in your WABA being suspended by Meta, which we cannot override.
Key Meta restrictions:
- 24-hour customer-service window for free-form replies
- Approved templates required for outbound messages outside the window
- Prohibited industries include adult content, weapons, tobacco, supplements, and unregulated financial services
Opt-in & consent
You are responsible for collecting and documenting valid opt-in consent from every contact you message. Acceptable opt-in methods:
- Web form with explicit consent checkbox
- Click-to-WhatsApp ad with clear messaging disclosure
- SMS or email confirmation of subscription
- Customer-initiated WhatsApp conversation
We may request proof of opt-in for any contact list. Inability to provide proof results in suspension.
Enforcement
We monitor for violations using automated detection and customer reports. Consequences include:
- Warning — first minor violation, with 7 days to remediate
- Suspension — account paused pending review for major violations
- Immediate termination — for illegal content, repeat violations, or serious harm
- Law enforcement — we report illegal activity to relevant authorities and preserve evidence
No refunds are issued for accounts terminated due to AUP violations.
Report a violation
See abuse on WhatsApp Marketing Automation? Email abuse@wadesk.io with:
- A description of the violation
- Workspace name, phone number, or other identifier
- Screenshots or message excerpts if available
We acknowledge every report inside 24 hours and complete investigation inside 7 days.
Changes
We may update this Acceptable Use Policy as new categories of abuse emerge. Material changes will be notified by email at least 30 days before they take effect.