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WhatsApp consent and opt-outs (STOP)

The OpenApply Team
  • Updated
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Quick answer:

Every WhatsApp form asks parents for consent before anything is sent. A parent who replies STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE stops all WhatsApp messages from your school straight away, and can opt back in by replying START.

For admins and admissions staff: how OpenApply records WhatsApp consent and honours opt-outs.

Why it helps

  • A clear record of consent. Staff see when and where each parent agreed to be contacted.
  • Opt-outs handled for you. Parents can stop messages themselves, with no staff action needed.
  • Stay within Meta's rules without tracking it by hand.
  • Parents see one question asking to store their details and contact them on WhatsApp, with a single "Yes, I agree" option that is not ticked in advance. They cannot continue without it, and nothing is sent if they leave.
  • The wording is the same for every school and cannot be edited.
  • Staff see "WhatsApp consent: Given" with the date, time and form on the applicant profile and with the submitted answers. Forms without the page show "Not asked on this form".
  • Consent records are never overwritten.

You can remove the consent page after a warning, but you must then collect permission another way. We recommend keeping it. You can add it back at any time, and changes are recorded.

When a parent replies STOP

  • STOP and UNSUBSCRIBE work by default, whatever the capitals, spaces or punctuation. The word must be the whole message. You can add opt-out words in your own languages in the WhatsApp settings.
  • The parent gets one confirmation, then no more WhatsApp messages of any kind. Email and SMS are not affected.
  • The opt-out covers every student the parent is linked to and their Contact record, because it is tied to the phone number.
  • Staff see a note in the conversation, the reply box is switched off, the profile shows it was the parent's own request, and the roster WhatsApp column updates.

Opting back in

  • The parent replies START, or submits a form and gives consent.
  • Staff can switch WhatsApp back on only after a warning, and the change is recorded.
See also

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