WhatsApp 'Logo Will Turn Red' Hoax

Outline
Circulating message claims that smartphone instant messaging application WhatsApp is about to start charging users for service but that this charge can be avoided by sending the same message to ten people.

Brief Analysis
The message is a hoax and should not be reposted. WhatsApp has not announced any plans to start charging users to send messages. The message is just one more incarnation in a long line of absurd hoaxes that have falsely claimed that a particular company or service would start charging users if they did not send on a message. In late 2012, WhatsApp experienced some interruptions to service and this gave a degree of undeserved credibility to the hoax. These interruptions were in no way related to the absurd claims in the hoax message.

Detailed analysis and references below example.

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Last updated: November 29, 2012
First published: 15th January 2012
Article written by Brett M. Christensen
About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer

Examples

Before you read this, go to your contacts and look at everyones status! Should say error: status unavailable.

Hello everyone, it seems that all the warnings were real, the use of WhatsApp cost money from summer 2012.
If you send this string to 18 different on your list, your icon will be blue and will be free for you.
If you do not believe me see tomorrow at 6 pm ending WhatsApp and have to pay to open it, this is by law
This message is to inform all of our users, our servers have recently been very congested, so we are asking your help to solve this problem. We require our active users forwarded this message to each of the people in your contact list to confirm our active users using WhatsApp, if you do not send this message to all your contacts WhatsApp, then your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all their contactsMessage from Jim Balsamic (CEO of Whatsapp) we have had an over usage of user names on whatsapp Messenger. We are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list. If you do not forward this message, we will take it as your account is invalid and it will be deleted within the next 48 hours. Please DO NOT ignore this message or whatsapp will no longer recognise your activation. If you wish to re-activate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 25.00 will be added to your monthly bill. We are also aware of the issue involving the pictures updates not showing. We are working diligently at fixing this problem and it will be up and running as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation from the Whatsapp team”
WhatsApp is going to cost us money soon. The only way that it will stay free is if you are a frequent user i.e. you have at least 10 people you are chatting with. To become a frequent user send this message to 10 people who receive it (2 ticks) and your WhatsApp logo should turn Red to indicate a frequent user. Am sorry had no option!
And check now the status of every individual contact is showing : Status : error

Hallo everybody. WhatsApp is going to cost us money soon. The only way that it will stay free is if you are a frequent user i.e. you have at least 10 people you are chatting with. To become a frequent user send this message to 10 people who receive it (2 ticks) and your WhatsApp logo should turn Red to indicate a frequent user

Detailed Analysis
According to a warning message that is currently circulating via social media and instant messaging, smartphone cross platform messaging application WhatsApp is set to start charging its users for sending messages. The message claims that users can avoid this impending charge by sending the warning to ten other people to prove that they are a "frequent users". Supposedly, the WhatsApp logo will turn red after the ten people have received the message thereby indicating that the service will remain free for that user.

However, the message is just a silly hoax. WhatsApp has not announced any plans to start charging its users for sending messages. And, even if it did, the company would certainly not announce its plans to start charging via a vague and poorly worded instant message or Facebook post. Nor would WhatsApp impose the absurd requirement that people had to prove they are frequent users by sending on a message to ten people.

In late 2012, a new and longer version of the hoax began circulating that claimed that WhatsApp servers were becoming very congested and that the service would start charging from "summer 2012". The new version suggested that users might see a message saying "error: status unavailable" when viewing their contact list. Unfortunately, WhatsApp did experience some service interruptions starting in November 2012, and this gave a degree of completely undeserved credibility. The service downtime was in no way related to the claims in the hoax message.

The WhatsApp webpage notes:

Because WhatsApp Messenger uses the same internet data plan that you use for email and web browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with your friends.

And WhatsApp has now issued a statement via its website blog confirming that the message is a hoax.

In fact, the message is just one more lame incarnation in a long running series of hoaxes that have falsely claimed that users must send on a message to avoid a service charge. As the following examples reveal, the same false claims have been targeted at users of other services.

Facebook version:

It's official.. signal at 12;20 it even passed on tv. Facebook will start charging this summer.If you copy this on your wall your icon will turn blue and facebook will be free for you. Please pass this message if not your count will be deleted. p.s, this is serious the icon turns blue, So please put this on your wall.

MSN version:

Sorry to break the news, but looks like all of those warnings were real!!!!! :o !!! The use of MSN and e-mail will cost money from Summer 2009 onwards. If you Send this message to 18 different people from your list, your little MSN Icon will turn blue and that will make it free for you. If you don't believe Me, go on to (www.msn.com) and see it yourself. Don't forward this message, But copy and paste it so that people will actually read it!!!!!!

Any message that claims that users must send on a warning to a specified number of others to avoid service charges or the closure of their account is sure to be a hoax and should not be reposted

References
WhatsApp 'Servers Really Full' Hoax
WhatsApp Status
WhatsApp Messanger
Hoax: Facebook to Start Charging This Summer - Facebook Icon Will Turn Blue
MSN 18 Contacts Hoax

Last updated: November 29, 2012
First published: 15th January 2012
Article written by Brett M. Christensen
About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer