whatsapp
© GettyPeople who fail to obey the messaging app’s rules could find themselves hauled into court
WhatsApp has promised to take legal action against people or companies who break its rules - even if the 'abuse' took place on another platform.

The messaging app has strict guidelines governing its own users' behaviour and anyone who breaks the terms of service can already be hit by a ban. But now the Facebook-owned company wants to take things a bit further by hauling users into court.

And you don't need to break the rules on WhatsApp itself to find yourself in trouble, because its enforcers will strike even they find 'off platform-evidence of abuse'.

It wrote: 'WhatsApp is committed to using the resources at its disposal - including legal action - to prevent abuse that violates our terms of service, such as automated or bulk messaging, or non-personal use.

'This is why in addition to technological enforcement, we also take legal action against individuals or companies that we link to on-platform evidence of such abuse. WhatsApp reserves its right to continue taking legal action in such circumstances.'

If you want to keep a WhatsApp account and not get sued, you might want to avoid using bots to send spam - which is known as automated or bulk messaging. The app has said that anyone who leaves off-platform evidence of abuse after December 7, 2019, will find themselves in its crosshairs.

WhatsApp added: 'Beginning on December 7, 2019, WhatsApp will take legal action against those we determine are engaged in or assisting others in abuse that violates our Terms of Service, such as automated or bulk messaging, or non-personal use, even if that determination is based on information solely available to us off our platform.

'For example, off-platform information includes public claims from companies about their ability to use WhatsApp in ways that violate our Terms. This serves as notice that we will take legal action against companies for which we only have off-platform evidence of abuse if that abuse continues beyond December 7, 2019, or if those companies are linked to on-platform evidence of abuse before that date.'

'We are committed to reinforcing the private nature of our platform and keeping users safe from abuse.'