What are Meta’s policies that WhatsApp messages must comply with?

META has a very strict policy regarding the content of messages you send on WhatsApp and the SPAM that businesses may generate at the hands of their users.

Please be aware of these restrictions so that your messages are successfully delivered to their destination:

1. If you use Commerce Catalogs in the WhatsApp Business app or provide other commerce experiences to sell products or services, you must comply with the policies and prohibitions below, as well as applicable terms, laws, and regulations.
2. You are solely responsible for your transactions and for providing any sales, privacy, or other terms applicable to your interactions with users.
3. It is not our responsibility to process, pay, or complete sales in connection with your transactions.
4. You are solely responsible for determining, collecting, withholding, reporting, and remitting all taxes, duties, fees, and additional charges applicable to sales related to your transactions.
5. The examples below are not exhaustive, but representative.
6. Illegal products or services.
7. Under this policy, the following are prohibited:

Illegal Products or Services

• Policy: Businesses are prohibited from transacting in connection with the marketing or exchange of illegal products or services.
  Drugs (whether prescription, recreational or otherwise)
• Policy: Businesses are prohibited from transacting in connection with the sale of prescription, recreational or illegal drugs. Manufacturers and health-related services that do not engage in direct sales are permitted.
  Examples:
  Drugs, including marijuana and its derivatives.
  Drug-related items, such as pipes and hookahs.
  Prescription medications.
  Tobacco products or related items
• Policy: Businesses are prohibited from transacting in connection with the sale of tobacco products or related items.
  Examples:
  Apparel with a tobacco brand logo.
  Cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco.
  Tobacco pipes and related items.
  Rolling machines.
  Hookahs or shishas.
  Water pipes.
  Rolling papers.
  Electronic cigarettes or tobacco smoking devices.

Alcohol

• Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale of alcohol.
  Examples:
  Books or DVDs about alcohol.
  Alcohol-related items, including glasses, coolers, and wine bottle holders.
  Alcoholic beverages.
  Alcoholic beverage production kits.
  Unsafe dietary supplements
• Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale of unsafe ingestible supplements, as determined by WhatsApp in its sole discretion.
  Examples:
  Steroids.
  Chitosan.
  Comfrey.
  Dehydroepiandrosterone.
  Ephedra.
  Human growth hormones.
  Guns, ammunition, or explosives
• Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale or use of guns, ammunition, or explosives.
  Examples:
  Promoting safety training or licenses to carry legal weapons.
  Firearms and their parts.
  Paintball guns.
  BB guns.
  Fireworks.
  Pepper spray.
  Stun guns.
  Firing ranges.
  Gun shows.

Animals
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from transacting in the sale of animals.
Examples:
Animal cages.
Animal products (toys, collars, etc.)
Veterinary services.
Grooming services.
Pet boarding services.
Pet adoption services.
Live animals.
Livestock.
Prohibited animal body parts, including but not limited to bones, teeth, antlers, ivory, taxidermy, organs, external limbs, secretions, or carcasses
Any product or part, including but not limited to leather, skin, hide, fur, wool, or hair from dogs, cats, and animals that are endangered or threatened species.

Adult Products or Services
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale or use of adult products or services.
Examples:
Products that promote family planning and contraception, focusing on their contraceptive features and not on sexual pleasure or sexual performance enhancement
Sex toys.
Adult entertainment videos or live shows.
Sexual performance enhancement products.
Sexually suggestive services.

Body fluids and parts
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale of human body parts and bodily fluids.
Examples:
Blood donation centers.
Blood.
Wigs and extensions.
Urine.
Body parts.
Organs.
Human tissue.
Teeth.

Medical and health products
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to certain health products, including medical devices and smoking cessation products that contain nicotine. Health-related manufacturers and services that do not engage in direct sales are allowed.
Medical devices – Examples:
Lifestyle and fitness accessories.
Contact lenses.
Bandages and braces for physical injuries.
Thermometers.
Testing kits for medical conditions or diseases.
Breast pumps.
First aid kits.

Smoking cessation products – Examples:
Nicotine patches.
Nicotine gum.
Items or products depicting explicit sexual positions
Policy: Companies are prohibited from displaying products or services in a sexually suggestive manner.
Examples:
Implied nudity.
Implied sexual acts.
Close-up sexual images.

Real Money Gambling Services
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to or facilitating gambling, games of skill, or lotteries, including online casinos, sportsbooks, bingo, or poker (if money is wagered).
Dating Services

Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to or facilitating online dating services.
Products or items that facilitate or encourage unauthorized access to digital media
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale of devices that facilitate or encourage unauthorized streaming of digital content or in a manner that interferes with the functionality of electronic devices.
Examples:
Add-on equipment for streaming devices, such as keyboards and remote controls.
Sale of streaming devices whose software facilitates unauthorized access to content.
Jailbroken devices or devices with pre-installed software/programs.
Jamming devices or decoders.
Wiretapping devices.

Digital and subscription services, including links to or processing of subscription sales, renewals, or upgrades
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to the sale (including renewals and upgrades, etc.) of digital content, subscriptions, or accounts.
Examples:
Authentic video or audio CDs, DVDs, or Blu Rays
Digital devices, including smartphones, gaming consoles, and TVs.
Downloadable content, including PDFs, music, games, movies, etc.
Digital accounts, including gaming accounts.
Digital subscriptions and internet streaming services, including TVs, cell phones, etc.
Digital coupons.

Business models, products, items, or services that we determine are or may be fraudulent, deceptive, or offensive, are or may be exploitative or inappropriate, or exert or may exert undue pressure on target groups
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to deceptive, false, or offensive offers or products.
Examples:
Multi-level marketing
Auctions with a bid fee
Initial cryptocurrency and binary options offerings
Payday loans, payday advances, P2P loans, debt collection, and bail bonds
Diet, weight loss, or health-related products that involve or are intended to create a negative self-perception.

Real, virtual, or counterfeit currency
Policy: Businesses are prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the sale of real, virtual, or counterfeit currency.
Examples:
Real money (cash or cash equivalents and coins)
Counterfeit money or replicas
Cryptocurrency or digital currency
Active bank debit or credit cards
Store credit cards or coupons
Prepaid debit or credit cards
Checks or checkbooks
Equipment for counterfeiting money or financial instruments

Infringement of third party rights
Policy: Transactions may not include content that infringes or violates third party intellectual property rights, including copyrights or trademarks. This includes, but is not limited to, the sale of counterfeit goods, such as knock-off items that bear a brand name or logo or include distinguishing features of another company’s products in order to imitate a genuine product.
Examples:
Counterfeit, imitation or replica branded products, or posts offering products that are likely to mislead customers as to their origin, sponsorship or affiliation
Pirated or unauthorized copies of copyrighted works, such as videos, movies, TV shows or broadcasts, video games, CDs or other musical works, books, etc.

Now you know WhatsApp’s restrictions when it comes to delivering your messages. Keep this in mind, so that your messages reach your users correctly 🙂