Meta is set to test a monthly limit on the number of messages WhatsApp users and businesses can send to people who haven’t replied, aiming to curb spam on the platform used by over 3 billion people.
Under the test, all messages sent to others will count against the new per-month limit unless they receive a response. For example, if a user meets someone at a conference and sends three messages, that counts against the limit. Meta didn’t disclose the numerical limit but stated that the change is intended to curb “people and businesses that blast messages and spam people,” adding that it should not affect regular users.
The cap applies to any outbound messages sent to recipients who haven’t replied, regardless of whether the sender is an individual or a business. All such messages will count toward the monthly allowance until the recipient responds, at which point additional messages to that person will no longer count against the limit.
This move is part of Meta’s ongoing efforts to introduce anti-spam measures on WhatsApp, particularly targeting political and commercial spam. Although previous safeguards have had mixed results as spammers adapt, the company is now testing stricter controls on unsolicited outreach.
The upcoming test coincides with WhatsApp’s work on username support, which would allow people to connect without sharing phone numbers. The company has been developing a handle reservation screen on Android, and similar code was spotted this week in the iOS beta. Meta hasn’t announced a release timeline for usernames.
