The most well-known instant messaging application worldwide, WhatsApp, acquired by Meta, has declared a new set of privacy features that would add a layer of security to visibility and chats. As a user, you can now exit groups quietly, select who can or cannot see that you are online, and will possess the power to block the other people from taking screenshots of messages with view-once settings.
“New privacy features coming to WhatsApp: exit group chats without notifying everyone, control who can see when you’re online, and prevent screenshots on view once messages. We’ll keep building new ways to protect your messages and keep them as private and secure as face-to-face conversations,” Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer and founder of Meta, said in a statement.
The online status and group exit updates will be led to implementing for all users, including on Android phones and the Apple iPhone, later this month. However, the View Once screenshot block feature would take a little longer. “This feature is being tested and will be rolled out to users soon,” Meta confirmed.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
The New WhatsApp Features: Status, Visibility, And A Quiet Exit
The first update among the three that certainly stands out is the feature to keep your online status hidden from your contacts and only show who you want to show. It is the successive development of its previous feature, which came out in December last year. It enabled WhatsApp users to keep their online status hidden from strangers. If you don’t want your WhatsApp contacts to know your online availability when you’re busy, are engaged in another conversation, or just simply don’t want to reply. This feature comes with a toggle option you can turn this feature off or on according to your needs.
Until now, when you leave a WhatsApp group every member of the group would be notified that you exited from the group making it a fairly public activity. This could become the cause of some major inconveniences as people may bombard you with questions about why you left the group. WhatsApp solves this problem by bringing in its new feature that will only allow the group admins to get notified when you leave a group. Users can quietly exit the group without the other members knowing.
Whatsapp introduced the view-once feature last year in August that was exceptional in the sense it enabled the users to share a media or message which can be deleted after the recipient has seen it and no trace of the message would be left. But there was one flaw or loophole that the user could take a screenshot of that view-once message before it disappeared.
The second of the three introduced features will correct or dismiss this flaw or loophole. It would block the ability to take screenshots on any smartphone, while the view message is still showing on the screen.
According to WhatsApp in another update, it will enable the user to delete the message even after two days
“At WhatsApp, we’re focused on building product features that empower people to have more control and privacy over their messages. Over the years, we’ve added interlocking layers of protection to help keep their conversations secure, and the new features is one way we continue to deliver on our commitment to keep messages private,” Head of Product at WhatsApp, Ami Vora, stated.
Source: www.thehindu.com
WhatsApp isn’t Slowing Down On Updates
The launching time of these features varies according to Meta. But they have assured us that the features will be rolled out soon.
The features will be launched this month beginning in the UK.
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