Tried to connect to WhatsApp from your computer and got blocked? You are not alone
Users in Israel report that attempting to connect to WhatsApp Web leads to an immediate account ban on their mobile device, with some caught in a recurring loop of bans. An expert in the field explains what is likely behind the glitch and which actions should be avoided right now to keep your account safe.
Many Israelis have been reporting a disturbing phenomenon in recent days: attempting to connect to the browser version (WhatsApp Web) leads to an immediate ban of the account on the mobile device. While some users manage to lift the ban by filing an appeal, many find themselves kicked out of the service again and again.
Osher Rovach, an expert in social media security and manager of a support community on the subject, explains that the glitch occurs mainly when attempting to perform a new pairing using a QR scan:
"The current trend is that anyone who tries to connect to WhatsApp Web and fails gets blocked immediately. Those who are already connected are not affected."
According to him, many dozens of similar inquiries have accumulated in recent days, and the background is likely related to the latest update of the Web version. He urges users not to connect to WhatsApp Web for now, and if they have been blocked - to appeal and wait 24 hours before reconnecting. According to him, it seems that the users who get blocked after attempting to connect to the Web are Android users.
On Facebook, many complaints have accumulated from users who were blocked: "I connected from the computer like every day and today I was simply blocked, I understood that this is a story that repeats itself," shared one of the users. Another user described: "I was blocked, I was released, but the account cannot connect again. Did anyone understand what is behind this?", and another user added: "It kicked me out of the Web, I connected and then I was blocked. I hope it gets resolved, it is hurting my business."
The current wave of bans joins previous reports of sudden bans of users in Israel, which has been ongoing since the end of July. The Meta company did not respond regarding the current phenomenon. In the past, they responded regarding bans:
"We are constantly working to stay ahead of users who try to abuse our platform, and we work to block their accounts to help keep users safe. Sometimes we make mistakes, and when that happens, we work to fix the situation as quickly as possible to allow people to return to using WhatsApp."
