WhatsApp is threatening to permanently ban any user found using the third-party clone app known as “GBWhatsApp”. The app is currently available for Android and can be found through a quick Google search.
The clone app has been a hot topic of conversation in social media spaces as of late, where users are poking fun at the illegal nature of the copy’s features:
Some Gb WhatsApp user just changed my profile pic 😂😂
— WANGARI ANITA™🇰🇪 (@Anita_Wangarii) July 6, 2021
GB WhatsApp user commenting on my future posts.
Me: pic.twitter.com/tFEGFtCAcT
— Yemi (@yemillionia) July 3, 2021
What is GBWhatsApp?
The app is an altered version of WhatsApp created by a third-party of developers who have released the app for free download. GBWhatsApp works like normal WhatsApp, but it comes with an extensive list of modded and customised features that are not offered by the authentic version of WhatsApp.
Some of these features include:
- The ability to hide one’s “online” status.
- Remove the blue/double tick “message delivered/received” option.
- Retrieve deleted photos that were sent to your account.
- Retrieve the deleted statuses of other users.
- Download status updates to your device’s hard drive.
- Send up to 90 images to another account in one go.
More features are also included, such as the means to select who can call you via WhatsApp.
Favorite GB whatsapp feature.
Stop saying it's whatsapp GB pic.twitter.com/5sSf2xrFeG— Sheabutterbaby (@DineoTsaBadimo) July 3, 2021
Though from the ones listed above, you can start noticing why WhatsApp is banning users on GBWhatsApp. The ability to retrieve deleted photos and statuses can be used by individuals of low morals to encroach on the privacy of others, especially if they were sent sensitive images by mistake.
GBWhatsApp Users Facing Bans
“If you received an in-app message stating your account is ‘Temporarily banned’ this means that you’re likely using an unsupported version of WhatsApp instead of the official WhatsApp app,” the social media messenger writes in a blog post.
WhatsApp warns that “if [users] don’t switch to the official app after being temporarily banned, your account might be permanently banned from using WhatsApp.”
WhatsApp says that apps like WhatsApp Plus, GBWhatsApp or other apps claiming to move users’ WhatsApp chats between phones are altered versions and they violate WhatsApp’s Terms of Service.
How to Save Your Chat History After Being Banned:
WhatsApp is recommending the following steps for GBWhatsApp users to try and save their chat histories after being banned for using the clone app. However, the company can’t guarantee these steps will be successful as WhatsApp doesn’t support unofficial apps.
- Wait for your temporary ban to end. The timer will show you the length of the ban.
- In GB WhatsApp, tap More options > Chats > Back up chats.
- Go to Phone Settings > tap Storage > Files.
- Find the folder GB WhatsApp and tap and hold to select it.
- In the upper right corner tap More > Rename and rename the folder to “WhatsApp”.
- Navigate to the Play Store and download the official WhatsApp app. If you can’t access the Play Store, download the app here.
- In WhatsApp, verify your phone number. Learn how to verify in this article.
- On the Backup found screen, tap Restore > Next.
- WhatsApp should load with your existing chats.
By Luis Monzon
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