India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
WhatsApp has now responded after several users including many in India reported that their accounts were suddenly placed ‘under review’, preventing them from using the messaging platform for up to 24 hours.
The problem started around 8 p.m. IST on Monday, when users across multiple countries, including India, reported being suddenly locked out of their WhatsApp accounts without any prior warning.
Many WhatsApp users, including those in India, reported their accounts were temporarily restricted for up to 24 hours starting Monday evening due to reviews for Terms of Service compliance, with WhatsApp acknowledging occasional enforcement errors.
Instead of their chats, users were greeted with a message that read: “Account in review. Date requested: 3 Aug 2026. Your account activity and device info is being checked to make sure it follows our terms of service. We will notify you of the result typically within 24 hours.”
Responding to the reports, a WhatsApp spokesperson said that the company can sometimes make mistakes while enforcing its safety measures.
“We are always working to stay ahead of those trying to abuse our service and ban accounts to help keep other users safe. Sometimes we get this wrong and if we do, we try to fix it as quickly as possible to get people back to chatting,” the spokesperson told PTI.
The company did not explain what caused the latest reviews or whether the affected accounts had been flagged by an automated system.
While the review was underway, affected users were unable to send messages, make calls or access any other WhatsApp feature. The app also directed them to pages explaining responsible use of WhatsApp, as well as guidance on stolen phones and compromised accounts.
Several users said they had no idea why their accounts had been placed under review. While some shared screenshots of the notice on social media, others urged WhatsApp to restore access sooner.
One user said the account had been disabled without any explanation despite complying with the platform’s rules. Another claimed several accounts were affected at the same time, suggesting the issue was not limited to isolated users.
WhatsApp has not disclosed how many accounts were affected or what prompted the reviews. The company also did not say whether the incident was caused by a technical issue or an error in its enforcement process.
