WhatsApp to test monthly cap on messages to unknown contacts

WhatsApp is preparing to test a monthly cap on messages that users and businesses send to people who do not reply, the company said, rolling out the trial to multiple countries in the coming weeks. The measure is designed to curb spam and reduce the volume of unsolicited messages on the platform, which has grown to include groups, communities and commercial messaging alongside personal chats.

Under the planned system, every message sent to an unknown contact will count toward the sender's monthly allowance unless the recipient responds. Multiple unread messages to the same person would still count individually. WhatsApp said it is experimenting with different thresholds and has not disclosed a final cap. Accounts nearing the limit will see a popup warning showing how many messages remain, giving senders a chance to stop before they are blocked from sending further unsolicited messages. The company said average users are unlikely to hit the limit.

The move follows a series of steps WhatsApp has taken to address rising spam and scam activity on the service. In recent years the company introduced ways to unsubscribe from business marketing messages, limited bulk messaging from new...