> have you tried using WhatsApp without the Contacts permission? Yes. It works. Reaching out to new people is a PITA, as you have to append their phone number

> have you tried using WhatsApp without the Contacts permission? Yes. It works. Reaching out to new people is a PITA, as you have to append their phone number to a an api.whatsapp.com/send?phone= URL and open that on your phone, but it works.