Why is WhatsApp blocked on my - new - mobile phone? A Kafka-esque situation

victor2

debitcardmayhem said:

Question how much do you pay for their service? Do you use Facebook and how much do you pay them? Sorry but they are free services rub by the same "meta" company why do they have to justify their decions to you , unless you  are a shareholder. Move on they owe you nothing

^^This^^
It has been suggested you move your old number and/or WhatsApp account over to the new SIM, or just get another new number if you really want to change it.
I once had an attempted scam through WhatsApp, so I blocked the number and reported it. Never heard from it or about it again.

br1anst0rm

victor2 said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Question how much do you pay for their service? Do you use Facebook and how much do you pay them? Sorry but they are free services rub by the same "meta" company why do they have to justify their decions to you , unless you  are a shareholder. Move on they owe you nothing

^^This^^
It has been suggested you move your old number and/or WhatsApp account over to the new SIM, or just get another new number if you really want to change it.
I once had an attempted scam through WhatsApp, so I blocked the number and reported it. Never heard from it or about it again.

Thanks @victor2 (and, indirectly @debitcardmayhem ).  It is true that we don't directly pay WhatsApp/Facebook/Meta.   But there is still a two-way deal.  In return for the service they provide, we give them access to vast quantities of 'our' data.   Just because we don't pay them money, this does not absolve them of any obligation to explain what they are doing, nor does it mean they need not answer questions.  Nothing to do with shareholders.  It's a matter of integrity and transparency versus arrogance and dishonesty.

As for the suggestion that I move my existing "old" and still operational WhatsApp account to my new SIM, the problem is that I cannot be certain that, if I do so, WhatsApp won't immediately block and shut down that account too.  If they were to give some assurance that they would not do so, then I would have a possible way forward.  But as they have shown no sign of willingness to explain their actions so far, I no longer have trust or confidence in them to be straight and play fair.

oldernonethewiser

"Perhaps" opens up a whole arena for guesswork and speculation.  Ultimately it is fruitless.  Evidence is what matters."

Have you got any actual evidence or like the rest of us are you still speculating?

br1anst0rm

oldernonethewiser said:

"Perhaps" opens up a whole arena for guesswork and speculation.  Ultimately it is fruitless.  Evidence is what matters."

Have you got any actual evidence or like the rest of us are you still speculating?

It is by definition hard to prove a negative.   But I have no evidence of misuse, spam or complaints about my WhatsApp account.

The only hard evidence I've got is (a) the period of time - less than 24 hours - that the 'new' WhatsApp account was active;  and (b) firm written evidence that the six people to whom I sent messages received them, acknowledged them, and did not report or block my messages from the new number or submit complaints to WhatsApp.

The replies I got from WhatsApp when I requested a review of the block on the account were inconsistent.  The first said that "the system had flagged violations of the Terms of Service".  The second claimed that "We have received a large number of complaints....".

No evidence or explanation of what rule had been violated.  No evidence of how many complaints, when they were made, nor indeed how they could be identified as complaints if the contents were not read) . Both replies seem to have been machine-generated.  And it is that lack of explanation that it forcing all of us to guess and to speculate as to the justification for WhatsApp's action to block the account.

If WhatsApp were able to give evidence in any form to substantiate either of the reasons offered for their decisions, I would be reassured that their action was taken on a sound basis.  It is their apparent unwillingness to do so that is ultimately so frustrating.  It suggests either a lack of consideration, or it indicates that Whatsapp is in fact unable to justify their decision.   As it is, the block seems to be arbitrary and inexplicable. 

oldernonethewiser

Whatsapp have made a decision based on whatever evidence they have that unfortunately you are not party to.

Do you plan to try to keep using Whatsapp, somehow, or use another service?