WhatsApp has blocked my account for months without explanation and only responds with irrelevant automated messages.

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On August 20, 2024, I landed in Chicago for the DNC and sent a message to dozens of my contacts who might be attending. WhatsApp "temporarily banned" me for the alleged violation of terms of service, so I explained via the text box provided within the app that I am an organizer and attorney reaching out to my politically engaged contacts for a historic (& controversial) gathering. Hours later, my account was supposedly reinstated, but I have not been able to access WhatsApp (including my 10 years of chat history and media) since then.

"Unable to connect. Please try again later." is the error message I receive every time I try to recover my account. I have followed all of the official (& some unofficial) troubleshooting suggestions without any resolution to the problem or even understanding of what is happening.

WhatsApp is the primary form of communication for my family, friends, and colleagues, especially outside of the United States.

Family celebrations. Friend gatherings. Project meetings. Student communication. Work opportunities.

All of my day-to-day communication has been negatively affected. Being cut off from my contacts and projects has caused me harm that is difficult to calculate on a professional, financial, and emotional level.

I have attempted to reach WhatsApp directly or through its monopoly of companies (Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and parent corporation Meta). I have sent screenshots, program logs, and numerous explanations of my situation. WhatsApp Support responds intermittently with nonsensical AI-generated messages confirming my customer service ticket has been addressed and closed.

What can be done? Have others encountered this issue? There must be a way to overcome WhatsApp's indifference and negligence.

Please share with anyone that can help. Hopefully, this does not happen to others.​​

Thank you for your time and empathy.

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~Camilo R.

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