WhatsApp is easily the most popular messaging service in India that is available across not only Android and iOS devices but also runs on feature phones with KaiOS. For many years, the platform has been allowing users to block contacts if they do not wish to be in touch with them in future. Notably, the platform, like almost all messaging apps, lets users block another person silently, meaning the blocked user is never sent a notification regarding this. WhatsApp clarifies that users cannot find whether they are blocked or not directly; however, there are indicators to check this.
In a blog post, WhatsApp explains that if a user can no longer see a contact’s last seen or ‘online’ in the chat window, it could indicate they have been blocked. However, users must remember that the other person may have disabled this option for privacy. Similarly, blocked users would not be able to see the contact’s profile photo. This could also indicate that the user has not uploaded an image. The most important indicator is that messages will fail to deliver, and the blocked user will only see a single tick next to the text in the chat window. Users must remember that this could indicate that the contact does not have internet connectivity, hence, the message is not being delivered. Lastly, any calls users attempt to place will not go through. Likewise, this could depend on the internet connectivity.
WhatsApp notes, if users see all of the indicators above for a contact, this could mean that they are blocked. “However, there are other possibilities. We have made this intentionally ambiguous in order to protect your privacy when you block someone. Thus, we cannot tell you if you are being blocked by someone else," the Facebook-owned company said in a post. Users might also find third-party applications promising they can track who’s blocked or not. However, it is advisable to avoid downloading these apps for privacy concerns.
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