Contents
What Meta requires
- Get opt-in before sending a message the customer did not start.
- Clearly state that they are opting in to receive messages on WhatsApp.
- Clearly state your business name.
- Comply with applicable law, and honour requests to stop.
As of November 2026 See Meta's opt-in guidance and the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
Good opt-in wording
On a checkout page, an unticked checkbox:
☐ Send me order updates and offers from Acme Store on WhatsApp at +91 98xxx xxxxx. I can opt out anytime by replying STOP.
Better still, separate purposes: one box for order updates, another for offers. That maps neatly to consent purposes under the DPDP Act.
Where to collect it
- Website forms and checkout (unticked checkbox).
- Inside a WhatsApp conversation the customer started (“Would you like updates here?”).
- SMS or email with a clear reply keyword.
- In store, with a QR code to a click-to-chat link and a confirmation message.
- Missed-call or IVR flows that confirm by message.
Record when, where and how each opt-in happened. You may need to show it.
Opt-outs
Make leaving easy: a STOP keyword, an opt-out quick-reply button on marketing templates, and agents who can mark a contact opted out. Never message an opted-out contact again unless they opt in afresh. Ignoring opt-outs leads to blocks and reports, which lower your quality rating and messaging limits.
The DPDP Act and consent
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires that consent for processing personal data be free, specific, informed, unconditional and unambiguous, given by a clear affirmative action, preceded by a notice, and as easy to withdraw as to give. The DPDP Rules were notified in November 2025, with most obligations phasing in over the following months. As of November 2026 This is general information, not legal advice; take advice for your situation.
How ChatRhino enforces it
Each contact in ChatRhino has an opt-in time and source and an opt-out time. Campaigns only send to contacts with recorded opt-in; opt-out always wins and is only cleared by a fresh opt-in; inbound STOP replies suppress the contact. See campaigns.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need opt-in to send WhatsApp messages?
Yes, for messages you initiate. You can always reply to a customer who messaged you, within the 24-hour window.
Can opt-in be collected outside WhatsApp?
Yes. Website forms, checkout, SMS, email, in person or IVR all work, as long as the opt-in names your business and WhatsApp.
Can I pre-tick the opt-in checkbox?
It is safest not to. Under the DPDP Act consent needs a clear affirmative action, which a pre-ticked box does not provide.
What happens if customers block my number?
Blocks and reports lower your quality rating, which can reduce your messaging limits.
Sources
Official documentation we checked (November 2026). Rules and prices change; the source is the authority.
- Meta — Getting opt-in for WhatsApp https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/overview/getting-opt-in
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy https://business.whatsapp.com/policy
- MeitY — Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and Rules https://www.meity.gov.in/data-protection-framework
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.