What Happens When You Report Someone on WhatsApp

There are several ways to filter your conversations with people on WhatsApp. If someone continues to send a bunch of offensive, hateful, or obscene content that you’re not comfortable with, WhatsApp will allow you to block or report it. You can even do both. We have an explanatory guide on blocking people on WhatsApp and what happens next. In this article, we will reveal everything that happens when you report someone on WhatsApp.

Reporting functionality was introduced about five years ago to help WhatsApp identify people using the instant messaging platform to distribute spam and malicious content. Rumors, fake news, hoaxes, etc. are examples of content that WhatsApp classifies as spam. If you are constantly receiving one of these items from someone on WhatsApp, you should report them. And if the unwanted content is distributed in a group conversation, you can also report the group.

In the section below, we will share with you what happens when you report someone or group on WhatsApp.

1. Report an individual

When you want to report someone on WhatsApp, you have two options: “Report” only and “Report and block”. We will explain how the two options work and their effects in the sections below.

As soon as you press this “Report” or “Report and block” button, your recent interactions with the reported number will be sent to WhatsApp for investigation. Let’s continue to answer some common questions you may have about what’s going on next.

Can a declared number still send you texts

Well, it totally depends on the selection you made when you reported the contact. If you choose the “Report and block” option, that person will not be able to send you new messages. On the other hand, if you select the “ Report ” option when reporting the contact, that person can still bombard your inbox with texts, multimedia files, or voice notes.

Whichever option you choose, WhatsApp will save the report you have submitted and add the number to a “ watch list ” where the person’s activities will be closely monitored. In addition, an investigation will be conducted on the activities of the person on the platform and he could possibly be prohibited from using WhatsApp.

How long does WhatsApp take to ban a flagged number

At this point, no one really knows. As mentioned above, WhatsApp would launch an investigation into the reported contacts. If WhatsApp finds reason to believe that the activities of the account really violate the terms of use of WhatsApp, the number could be (temporarily or permanently) prohibited from using WhatsApp.

Note: Reporting a number does not guarantee that the person will be prohibited from using WhatsApp. The barring of a reported number occurs at the discretion of WhatsApp.

Can a reported number call you

Again, it depends on the options chosen when you reported the number. If you select “Report and block” a user, WhatsApp will not send you their calls. Whenever someone you’ve “ flagged and blocked ” calls you, the call will ring endlessly on their behalf, but you won’t receive the call or be notified.

However, reporting someone without blocking still gives them access to you via voice or video calls, even after your report has been sent / submitted to WhatsApp.

What happens to previous discussions / messages

When you report someone to WhatsApp, previous conversations with the reported contact will continue to appear on your phone. However, if you choose the “Report and block” option, your conversations with the person will be deleted completely.

2. Report a group

Reporting a group is also very similar to reporting an individual. So when you want to report a group, WhatsApp offers the same two options: “Report” and “Report and exit”.

When you choose “Report and leave”, you leave the group and a complaint will be sent simultaneously to WhatsApp regarding the activities of the group. This means that you will no longer be a participant / group member. As a result, the group (and group messages) will also be deleted from your phone.

On the other hand, choosing to “report” only a group without leaving does not change your status in the group. Your group activity report will be sent to WhatsApp, but you will still remain an active member. Everything will look completely normal.

What happens to a group you have reported?

The group will be monitored

It also amounts to reporting an individual. When WhatsApp receives a report on potentially disturbing activities from a group, the reported group is then placed under close surveillance. WhatsApp may not take immediate action against the group. The group can continue to exist and remain functional even after reporting it.

The group could be deactivated

So what happens to a group spreading false information and other spam? Is group reporting effective? Well, only when more members or participants report the group as spam. If WhatsApp finds a group guilty of spamming after receiving numerous reports, the company will most likely deactivate the group.

What happens to group members

Nothing happens to group members. They will not be prohibited and no sanction / sanction will be imposed on them either. All members of a disabled group will no longer be able to send or receive messages in the reported group.

Spam is not cool

Reporting someone annoying you with incessant spam content on WhatsApp is the right thing to do, especially from an unknown number. By doing this, you are sending a signal to WhatsApp that the person is a spammer. WhatsApp will then decide whether to ban the person / number based on the results of its surveys. If the person continues to spam you with unwanted messages, you should block them. And if it’s a group, you must leave the group for your reason.