Imagine opening WhatsApp to catch up on your group chats, only to be met with a notification claiming you’ve kicked someone out. That’s the perplexing situation a number of WhatsApp users have found themselves in over the past few days. Several people have reported seeing system messages like “You removed [member name]” appear within their group conversations, causing understandable confusion and concern.
What makes these notifications particularly strange is that they are showing up even for users who have no administrator privileges in the specific group chat. As most users know, you need to be an admin to remove someone from a WhatsApp group. Seeing this message when you lack the ability to perform the action has left many scratching their heads. The issue isn’t isolated either, with reports surfacing across various types of groups, including large communities with hundreds of members.
The initial reaction for some has been fear of their account being hacked. Reddit user Opening-Claim-5074 described the feeling as “tres traumatizing,” going as far as factory resetting their phone in an attempt to solve it, without success. The bug also creates social awkwardness, as user madglaamx shared they “rushed to text the group admin that I didn’t do anything lol 😭”. It seems some users who were notified they were “removed” by someone without admin rights had actually left the group intentionally, but the notification wrongly attributed the action.
While some initially wondered if a prankster actually named “You” might be responsible, checks within affected groups often revealed no such member, making this theory less plausible. The increasing number of similar reports shared online strongly suggests this is a software bug or glitch within the WhatsApp platform itself. Users discussing the phenomenon widely agree it seems to be a technical error, given that removing members without admin rights shouldn’t be possible.
This isn’t just a minor visual glitch; it’s causing genuine worry about account security and forcing people into unnecessary explanations within their social circles and work groups. For anyone encountering this strange notification, the current consensus suggests it’s likely a flaw in the app rather than user action or a security breach.
Let’s just hope WhatsApp sorts out the mess sooner rather than later.
Featured image credit: u/R0manc3isb0ring / Reddit
Dwayne Cubbins
876 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
Joost mid 20s from the netherlands09-04-2025
Thank you for this article! On this basis I will presume that I did not in fact kick a guy out from my football team whatsapp group (even though seeing the "You removed [X]" message). I was literally just about to send the "I'm so sorry I have no idea what happened" text to our team captain in a panicked frenzy, then I was like wait I don't have admin status, so I can't kick people right? Googled, found your article, and now have peace of mind. Just wanted to say that this actually helped me, while being in exactly the type of predicament you describe. Very nice to know it's a glitch, and not me unwittingly starting anarchy in my football team. So thank you for your very useful article! :)
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