Regulated entities must closely examine their WhatsApp and WeChat compliance SFC as the stakes are much higher. The WhatsApp Business terms of service are comprehensive as they cover multiple ways in which enterprise users can violate the platform’s moderation mechanisms.
The Importance of Serving With Accurate Information
WhatsApp requires companies to be careful of how employees use the instant messaging platform in customer interactions. Users must not be sent misleading communication. Moreover, impersonation of another company and misrepresentation of services must be avoided at all costs.
Customer Data Security and Privacy are Non-Negotiable
WhatsApp may find a company’s Business account to violate its terms if it does not ensure the security of customer information. Moreover, failing to acquire all necessary permissions for collecting and processing data is also a violation of WhatsApp’s terms of service.
Even before starting the conversation, WhatsApp Business users must ensure that the users communicating with them have provided their contact information with the intention of receiving messages and calls based on a clear opt-in mechanism.
The Need for Access Controls
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption ensures that messages are secure while being sent. The company is responsible for enforcing measures that prevent employees from sharing customer information with unauthorized personnel, devices, or applications.
Failure to ensure transparency and accountability for employee WhatsApp communications can lead to ramifications beyond the platform. As part of the prominent WhatsApp and WeChat fines, 11 Wall Street companies that were caught by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were required to pay $289 million in penalties for their employees who send business messages on personal devices.
To be prepared for every situation that may lead to account closure or non-compliance with industry regulations, companies must invest in a mobile archiver like TeleMessage that effectively captures messages and calls in real time. The messages are retained as a copy the moment they are sent or received by an archiving vendor, which is impossible to delete or modify.
