WhatsApp, the messaging service owned by Facebook, has become one of the most widely used messaging services in the world, especially in places like India where it’s effectively become the default way of communicating with friends and family across platforms. As WhatsApp continues to grow in popularity, one question that continues to get asked is What are some things I should avoid doing on WhatsApp? With that question in mind, here are 10 things you should never do on WhatsApp. 10 things you should never do on WhatsApp
1) Never send photos without permission
Sending unsolicited sexual images, or sharing someone else’s image without their permission, is a major no-no. Not only is it an invasion of privacy—not to mention quite shocking to receive a nude photo from someone you don’t know—it could also land you in legal trouble. Make sure people are okay with being featured in your snaps before hitting send; even then, try not to be creepy about it.
2) Never share photos of others without their permission
If your message is important enough to take a photo, it’s important enough to ask permission first. If you’re thinking of sending revealing photos, just don’t—you don’t want to get yourself in any trouble with an overly-sensitive friend or family member. Remember: The person who sent it could later decide they regret sending it—or even that you took it without their permission—and bring up how embarrassing or invasive it was. It can be too late after that moment.
3) Never share details about yourself
The first rule of WhatsApp is that no one should know anything about you, including your name. The second rule of WhatsApp is that no one ever breaks Rule #1. Learn it, live it and love it. Never share personal information such as your full name, cell phone number or a picture of yourself with other users. You don’t need to break these rules for someone to fall in love with you; just make sure not to give out too much information until you know them better.
4) Do not forward jokes
If a joke is so hilarious that you feel like forwarding it to all your friends, save it instead. You’ll get all your laughter out and no one will be able to ruin your day by telling you that they saw it six months ago. This will also keep you from getting banned.
5) Keep everything private
Before opening yourself up to a group, check and make sure everyone else in it is also friends with each other. That way, no one can take your info and pretend to be someone else.
6) Never offend someone else
Many of us have experienced being offended by a friend’s casual remark over Whatsapp. The last thing we want is a bitter fight with someone dear to us and hence, we end up censoring ourselves while typing out those messages. Avoid taking it personally and avoid saying anything that can offend someone or hurt their feelings. It’s alright if you send an emotional message every once in a while but don’t make it a habit!
7) Stop trolling people
Every year, people around the world take part in April Fools’ Day. You might be shocked by how clever some of these pranks are. But if your idea of a good joke is putting glitter or faeces in someone’s bag, for example, then stop—you could get banned from using WhatsApp. Read our full story to find out what else is considered off-limits by Facebook’s rules…
8) Refrain from posting statuses that mock religion or political leaders.
Posting statuses that make fun of religious beliefs or political figures can lead to a ban. While it’s difficult to tell what does and doesn’t violate community guidelines, just don’t take any chances and avoid posting about those topics altogether.
9) Keep in mind that conversations can be quoted and forwarded by anyone.
Keeping your conversations private is important, but don’t fall into a trap by thinking it’s impossible for people to forward or share what you say. If someone wants to share your information, it can happen. Be careful about personal information and images, both visual and textual. You can even set up an automatic wipe that deletes any screenshot of a message after a certain amount of time.
10) Do not use emojis excessively. If a recipient finds them offensive, they may report your account and get it suspended.
You can only use 20 emojis per message. If you want to use a lot of them, write a separate message for that purpose. Otherwise, stick to just two or three per message and make sure your recipients aren’t offended by them.
