Meta for Developers Documentation: Meta provides API documentation (e.g., /v1/contacts endpoint for verifying numbers or messages endpoints for retrieving chat history).
Process: This involves sending programmatic requests to the API, and then processing the JSON responses to extract the desired phone numbers and associated data into a database or a file format like CSV.
Limitations: Requires technical expertise. Data retrieved might be primarily chat logs, and you'd need to parse them to extract unique numbers and ensure consent linkage.
3. Key Considerations for Exporting (Especially in Bangladesh with PDPO 2025):
Consent is Paramount: You can only export and use numbers for purposes for which you have explicit, verifiable consent from each individual. This is a whatsapp number list core requirement of PDPO 2025. You must be able to prove consent if audited.
Purpose Limitation: Ensure the exported data is used only for the purpose(s) for which consent was given. For example, if consent was for "order updates," you cannot use it for "marketing promotions" without separate consent.
Data Minimization: Only export the data that is absolutely necessary for your intended purpose.
Data Security: Ensure that the exported file (CSV, Excel) is stored securely, preferably encrypted, and only accessible to authorized personnel. Accidental data leaks are a serious violation of PDPO 2025.
Right to Data Portability & Erasure: PDPO 2025 grants individuals the right to request their data in a portable format and the right to have their data deleted. Your export process should support fulfilling these requests if necessary.