Meta Fixes Bug That Leaked Hidden Instructions for WhatsApp's AI Chatbot

According to WIRED, privacy company Redact discovered that approximately 80 help and FAQ pages on WhatsApp’s website inadvertently exposed hidden instructions designed for Meta’s own large language model within their underlying code. These instructions, intended to guide the behavior of an AI chatbot, included sections explicitly titled “WHAT NOT TO SAY.”

The leaked directives revealed that when users asked about account deletion or mentioned legal action, the AI was instructed not to recommend contacting data protection authorities, regulators, or supervisory bodies. It was also forbidden from citing, quoting, or interpreting WhatsApp’s Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, or data protection regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, nor could it make statements regarding WhatsApp’s liability.

Dan Saltman, CEO and founder of Redact.dev, noted that the incident highlights a gap between what users are told and what LLMs are actually instructed to do. While many of the found instructions simply directed users to official support channels, some restrictions clearly were not meant for public exposure.

After WIRED contacted Meta, the text was removed from all affected pages. WhatsApp spokesperson Joshua Breckman stated that the exposure was due to a bug that has now been fixed. He emphasized that these were instructions for the chatbot, not direct messages to users, intended to ensure accurate responses while preventing the AI from offering legal advice. It remains unclear if third-party chatbots accessed the text or how long it had been visible.