I know it gets used like shit but do you think there's any utility in the term 'whataboutism' if the definition is strict?

Nope. Because the argument always goes like this:

1. non-neutral party brings up problem about non-western place
2. someone says "well this is actually a bigger problem in the west" after which they get le downvoted
3. the rationale is "well we're not talking about the west right now so that's whataboutism"

The actual problem starts at step 1, and it's started by westoids and their news media outlets who constantly a) attack free non-white countries (and Russia) b) stay silent about the (usually much worse) stuff the west is currently doing

For example, how many westoids have ever said anything about the EU overfishing Indian Ocean waters? Instead it's always China overfishing X, or making Y animal extinct, even though westoids consume 4x more resources per capita and 90% of the rhino and elephant populations were killed by whites since the 1800s. Fuck mayos and fuck anyone who even reasons within their moronic bullshit paradigm