As a developer, I tried building an app that needs to use Whatsapp for communication. Unfortunately my phone number got blocked by the second test message. No Spam. Not marketing, just a test message to my own number. Along with it, they blocked my entire business, my LLC, and anything tied to it.

I have been trying to get hold of anyone or anything at Whatsapp. I've spent 6 months trying to navigate the bureaucracy. Facebook support claims they can't touch WhatsApp; WhatsApp support ignores the Facebook side. If you're building on WA, have a backup plan.

If any Whatsapp employee reading this can look into my WBA Account 1117362643780814

I guess if you want to lower that number, you'd need to build something better, in some way. Answered as another European who've had Whatsapp forever, as some stubborn people refuse to move away from it, and also bunch of businesses use it.

Force interoperability one way or another. WhatsApp is a closed system, if I want to use an alternative I'm stuck with adversarial interoperability, so stuff like Beeper (which is great, but...) which might get my account banned. Or waiting for some legislation to force WhatsApp to open it's API and let me interact with my contacts there without being locked into their apps

Make your customer support on whatsapp. "Drop us a message to change your order". Allow ordering/enquiries over whatsapp.

Send 2 factor verification pins over whatsapp - it is more reliable than SMS and generally there is a better 1:1 mapping between whatsapp accounts and real humans than phone numbers, so it is a good anti-spam or good way to distribute "first month free" type deals whilst keeping abuse low.

Obviously make sure all URL's have info cards properly rendered in Whatsapp for good share-ability.

Advocate protocols over platforms. Have your government take an active interest in opening up closed communication systems and mandating third-party client access.

Can you describe your reasons? I haven't developed an opinion as no one here uses it.