A staggering 96% of WhatsApp users surveyed have reported receiving pesky or unsolicited messages on a daily basis, according to a recent report. This alarming statistic highlights the pervasive issue of spam on the popular messaging platform, raising significant concerns about user privacy and digital harassment.
Survey Exposes Widespread Spam Problem on WhatsApp
The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, involved over 13,000 respondents from across India. The findings paint a troubling picture of the spam epidemic on WhatsApp. Only a mere 4% of users stated they do not receive any promotional or spam messages on the platform. The majority of users are inundated with unwanted texts regularly.
Breakdown of Daily Spam Messages Received
- 54% of respondents reported receiving one to three promotional or spam WhatsApp messages every day.
- 30% of users stated they get four to seven such texts daily.
- 11% of respondents indicated they receive eight or more spam messages on average each day.
Supreme Court Criticizes WhatsApp's Privacy Policies
This survey comes at a critical time, just a day after the Supreme Court of India issued a stern warning to Meta Platforms and WhatsApp. The court emphasized that these companies cannot play with the right to privacy of citizens in the name of data sharing. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi expressed particular concern for silent customers who are unorganized, digitally dependent, and often unaware of the implications of data-sharing policies.
WhatsApp Business Accounts: The Primary Source of Spam
The survey further revealed that these unsolicited messages frequently originate from WhatsApp Business accounts in an unchecked manner. WhatsApp Business is a service where senders pay WhatsApp to deliver messages to users, creating a potential avenue for mass promotional campaigns that often cross into spam territory.
Categories of Spam Messages Received by Users
When asked about the categories of promotional or spam messages they receive, 14,281 respondents provided multiple answers. The survey uncovered the most common sectors bombarding users with unwanted WhatsApp communications:
- 71% of respondents reported receiving messages related to selling real estate.
- 71% of users stated they get messages about selling financial services.
- 46% of respondents pointed to messages providing healthcare or pathology services.
- 44% of users indicated they receive messages offering jobs or earnings opportunities.
- 24% of respondents reported messages about providing services like RO repair, spa, beauty, and massage.
- 19% of users stated they get messages related to online or fantasy gaming.
- 11% of respondents indicated receiving messages about providing mobile numbers, better talk time, or data plans.
- 21% pointed to other categories not specifically mentioned in the survey.
- 2% of respondents did not provide a clear reply.
Thus, financial services, real estate promotions, healthcare/pathology services, and job/earnings offers emerge as the most common types of promotional or spam WhatsApp messages received by Indian users.
How Users Are Coping with the Spam Onslaught
Faced with this daily barrage of unwanted messages, WhatsApp users have developed various strategies to manage the spam problem:
- 59% of respondents reported that they block the numbers that send them spam texts.
- Many users stated they simply ignore the messages as they continue to flood their inboxes.
- 3% of respondents claimed they mute the numbers sending promotional content.
Key Takeaways from the Survey
- 96% of WhatsApp users report receiving spam messages daily, indicating a widespread problem affecting nearly all users.
- Financial services and real estate promotions are the most common types of spam, each affecting 71% of respondents.
- The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns about WhatsApp's privacy policies and data sharing practices, warning against compromising citizen privacy.
- WhatsApp Business accounts appear to be a significant source of unchecked promotional messages that users perceive as spam.
- Despite the overwhelming spam problem, users are taking action by blocking numbers, though many simply endure the constant stream of unwanted messages.
