It may be a persistent rumor, but it’s nothing more than this: WhatsApp does not have a list of banned words that can lead to account ban if you type them., both in private chat and in the group. Of course, if the people you talk to report you, you could be in trouble.

Given the popularity of instant messaging, there is no smartphone without such software. They may have one installed, they may have several, they may be downloaded from stores or come pre-installed: chatting with people directly is essential. And that’s where WhatsApp comes in, pretty much the messaging standard: typing into a phone number is too complicated and doesn’t have an account. Given this prevalence and simplicity, there is absolutely nothing that stops being talked about through the app.

End-to-end encryption prevents knowing what’s being written

All WhatsApp conversations are encrypted end-to-end, which is something apps are responsible for remembering almost every moment. This makes chats 100% private, at least as long as the conversation stays there: WhatsApp finds it impossible to know what was said, what emojis were added, stickers or how to respond to a message. This also applies to concrete words.

WhatsApp does not have a specific list of banned words, because cannot remove them from conversations to analyze everything said: End-to-end encryption prevents this. Also, no reference is made to prohibited terms in the app’s terms of use or help. Quite simply, WhatsApp cannot detect what you type in conversations, whether private or in a group (all encrypted by default). Therefore, it cannot block your account because you are writing something.

There are no banned words and you cannot be locked out of your account for typing them. This does not mean that WhatsApp has stopped prosecuting uncivil and/or criminal behavior, as it clearly states that you must use the apps. responsible, respectful and abiding by the terms of use. As WhatsApp itself states:

“Our Terms of Service prohibit the posting of false material and conduct that, among other things, is unlawful, threatening, harassing, hateful, or racially or ethnically offensive.”

WhatsApp expressly prohibits certain behaviors while typing. Jealousy, threats, harassment and other illegal acts are strictly prohibited (and they can be reported), but WhatsApp has no automatic way to detect topics discussed in chats. Now there is a tool where you can access these conversations.

If they report you, WhatsApp will read the messages.

WhatsApp does not read conversations and cannot read them whether they want to, but has access to certain messages when notified. Using this tool, the “Report” tool, Any WhatsApp user can report conversations and/or contacts that violate the platform’s usage rules based on their criteria.. So, if you write on whatever terms and another user complains, you may run into trouble. And blocking the WhatsApp account will be the least of them.

What happens when there is a report? WhatsApp itself states this:

WhatsApp receives the last five messages sent to you by that person or group, but does not notify the senders. WhatsApp also receives the identity of the reported user or group, information about when the message was sent and the type of message sent (image, video, text, etc.).

If there is behavior that violates the terms of service, WhatsApp may block your account. In general, I would do it temporarily first, and depending on the severity of what was reported, you can stay without a WhatsApp account forever. Also, this reported information can reach the authorities as stated by the platform itself:

We share information with law enforcement and others when a person’s vital interests need protection, such as in emergencies. These vital interests include the protection of the life of both yours and others, and the protection of physical or mental health, well-being or integrity.

One final detail to mention concerns anything not included in end-to-end encryption; how are you profile photos, group names or descriptions. WhatsApp automatically analyzes this information and compares it to databases such as the Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) database. The platform fights against child abuse and is actively collaborating with the authorities: any implication you make in these areas of WhatsApp can be costly. Be very careful when joking.