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Are WhatsApp GB users at risk of being banned?
WhatsApp uses machine learning to determine which users are on the WhatsApp GB platform so that they can be banned.
The penalties for sending certain messages include a fine and/or three years in prison. Picture: iStock
For months, a somewhat sinister version of Facebook messaging app, WhatsApp, has been doing the rounds under the name WhatsApp GB.
However, recent reports claim that users of the notorious app are at risk of losing their WhatsApp access.
What is WhatsApp GB?
According to The Times of India, WhatsApp GB is a popular third-party mod of the official WhatsApp for Android, that overrides features of the official app. When using it, you can download content from someone’s status, reply to status messages long after they have expired, auto-reply, send more pictures than the WhatsApp limit currently allows and filter messages.
Essentially, it allows users of the mod to contact WhatsApp users in ways that they do not want to be contacted.
WhatsApp GB isn’t even the only mod on the market, according to the publication, it is just the most popular.
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Can you be banned for using WhatsApp GB?
According to the publication, yes, using WhatsApp GB can get you banned from the official WhatsApp platform.
An entry on the official WhatsApp website explains that this is part of a crackdown by Facebook that prevents using an unsupported version of WhatsApp, instead of the official WhatsApp app.
“If you don’t switch to the official app after being temporarily banned, your account might be permanently banned from using WhatsApp,” warns the platform.
“Unsupported apps, such as WhatsApp Plus, GB WhatsApp, or apps that claim to move your WhatsApp chats between phones, are altered versions of WhatsApp. These unofficial apps are developed by third parties and violate our terms of service.”
WhatsApp explained that it did not support these third-party apps because they could not validate their security practices.
News of the ban immediately sent panic amongst social media users who have developed a love for the platform. Twitter users also joked about the invasive nature of GB features.
