WhatsApp may limit messages in one-sided chats to reduce Spam and Unwanted Outreach

WhatsApp is apparently planning to place a limit on sending messages in chats which are not replied to, in a bid to tackle spam and boost better engagement. The update will be introduced specifically in “one-sided” conversations – new chats where only one person is replying to messages sent by another.

What’s changing

As reported by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp’s proposed limit will be introduced when a person has sent messages in a new chat and received no reply; there, the app will place a monthly ceiling on new-chat messages. This restriction will affect both individual users and accounts of businesses or organisations attempting to reach out to un-responsive recipients.

Users will receive a notification when they are nearing or have reached the monthly limit. A new section in settings is also in development, which will allow a user to see how many messages they have sent in new conversations. However, the new message restriction will not apply to existing chats where both users are replying to each other, but only unreplied messages in “new” conversations.

WhatsApp confirmed this change to a tech publication TechCrunch, and said the aim is to make conversations “more balanced and less intrusive.” The company has not yet revealed how many unreplied messages will constitute the monthly limit.

Why now?

WhatsApp is the latest app to crack down on spam. Too many users were getting unwanted bulk messages and ads, which made their inboxes messy. To fix this, WhatsApp is now targeting groups where only one person is sending messages, which should reduce clutter and keep users happier.
The new change is in addition to the various privacy and anti-spam features the platform has rolled out in the past.

For most users, who message friends, family or work colleagues and receive replies to their messages, this change will have little impact on regular usage. Accounts that are sending messages at a large scale with little or no reply – for example, business accounts or marketers – will likely be more affected by this change, once the feature is launched.

Exceptions and flexibility

WhatsApp is building an exception mechanism for cases where users may have a legitimate reason to send unreplied messages in bulk, such as reaching out to new business contacts, sending event invites, or connecting with customers. In those cases, users will have the option of filling out a form justifying why they need a higher message-limit. They will not need to provide any personally identifiable information to do this. Users can choose from a drop-down list of reasons including “Contacting new personal connections”, “Reaching out to Employees/ Clients” or “Other” and click send to submit the request. If the limit is approved, users will be exempted from the usual limit.

What this means for India(BHARAT)n users

In India(BHARAT), one of WhatsApp’s biggest markets, the new change could have a big impact for business users, marketers, and anyone running broadcast or mass-outreach campaigns. While it will not affect regular private conversations between friends, families or work-contacts, apps or services using WhatsApp to reach large numbers of users may have to change their strategies to not hit the new monthly ceiling.

For India(BHARAT)n users, the key takeaway here is: reply to messages. When you send messages to someone who is not replying, you may start hitting the new monthly ceiling soon, which may prevent you from sending more messages to those contacts. It may also affect marketers and business accounts, and the change may be seen by developers and strategists as a nudge towards better engagement or opt-in approaches, as opposed to one-way broadcasts.

Looking ahead

WhatsApp has not yet said when it plans to roll out this feature, or even provided a timeline. The new change is still under development, and will be part of a future update, when global testing and internal reviews are complete. This feature is the latest step in WhatsApp’s efforts to tackle spam and unsolicited messages, and protect user experience, inbox relevance and trust.