WhatsApp to add three new features focusing on enhancing privacy

Instant messaging application WhatsApp has announced to launch three new privacy features including the ability to hide your online status from particular contacts. 

According to details, the application would provide its users with the ability to exit WhatsApp groups silently, and block screenshots for “View Once” images.

WhatsApp head Will Cathcart and Meta Chief Mark Zuckerberg announce the new features on August 9, Tuesday.

Three great new privacy features for @WhatsApp users coming soon: pic.twitter.com/SE9JhYSD0s

— Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) August 9, 2022

HIDE ONLINE STATUS FROM YOUR CONTACTS

The application has announced to provide its users with the ability to hide their online status. Previously, users had the ability to hide their ‘Last Seen’ which has now been extended to ‘online’ status too.

Moreover, the users will be able to hide their ‘online status from particular contacts too.  Users could choose to completely hide the last seen online status from everyone, only unknown numbers, specific contacts, or from nobody.

A new “Who can see when i’m online” feature will be added under the last seen settings, with two options – ‘Everyone’ and ‘Same as Last Seen.’

EXIT GROUPS SILENTLY

Another interesting feature announced by the application will be the ability to leave groups without anyone else knowing. Right now, WhatsApp displays a message whenever a group leaves the group. However, now WhatsApp will only notify the group admin about a user leaving the group.

“It will be almost like leaving a party silently and only telling the host,” Will Cathcart said.

SCREENSHOT BLOCKING FOR VIEW ONCE MESSAGES

The application had announce allow once or view once messages and media for its uses however it was not as full proof because it provided the recipient with the option to screenshot the media file.
But that is about to change now as WhatsApp has decided to add a screenshot block feature on view once messages and media files to allow uses to stop people from taking screenshots of their images.

Also Read: WhatsApp to soon get ‘login approval’ feature

View Once messages allow users to send media files that are only viewable once. View once images, however, were not all that foolproof as it still allowed people to take screenshots of the media file. Now, WhatsApp has added a screenshot blocking feature on View Once messages that will allow users to block people from taking screenshots of their images.