WhatsApp Faces Major Lawsuit in Israel Over Account Bans

A class-action lawsuit seeking over 2.5 million shekels has been filed against WhatsApp in Israel's Central District Court in Lod. The suit alleges that the messaging platform has been arbitrarily and systematically disabling private and business accounts in Israel without adequate warning, explanation, or a clear appeals process.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Guy Ofir and Victoria Reznik, claims that numerous users, potentially hundreds or even thousands, have been blocked. The plaintiffs contend that automated monitoring systems mistakenly identify legitimate activity as a violation of WhatsApp's terms of service.

The lead plaintiff is Tik Travel, a travel company from Rishon Le'israel, and its manager Dan Amram. They report that the company's WhatsApp Business account was permanently disabled after being blocked three times within eight months. The company states this significantly impacted its business operations, as the account was a primary communication channel with clients and suppliers.

The lawsuit argues that international corporations operating in Israel are subject to Israeli law and that broad user termination clauses in WhatsApp's terms of service may be considered unfair contract terms. The plaintiffs are seeking the reversal of wrongful bans, a system for advance notification before blocking, an opportunity to rectify alleged violations, and a customer service system with human support.

They also demand compensation for financial damages and emotional distress, along with data on the number of Israeli accounts deactivated over the past seven years. Attorney Guy Ofir stated that an automated mechanism has been blocking accounts with only general explanations and no real recourse to human representatives. Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, declined to comment on the legal proceedings. It is important to note that this is currently only a request to certify the lawsuit as a class action, and the court has not yet approved it.