We’ve heard rumours that WhatsApp is working on a variety of new features for users who are concerned about privacy during the last several weeks. And today, the massive messaging platform owned by Meta unveiled three such privacy enhancements that will soon be available to all users. This includes the ability to secretly leave groups, prevent screenshots from being taken of your WhatsApp photographs, and conceal your online status from selected contacts. So let’s look more closely at each of these aspects.
3 New Privacy Features in WhatsApp
According to a press release issued by WhatsApp, the new security features allow users to communicate freely and in private.
Based on an independent privacy survey that found that roughly 47% of people feel comfortable speaking honestly and unfiltered in a safe and private setting, the company has given the aforementioned feature priority.
Hide Online Status in WhatsApp
Additionally, 91% of users prefer to use blocking capabilities if they are aware of them, compared to 51% of users who want to keep their online activity hidden. Having said that, here is a more detailed look at each of the new features:
In addition to the current capability of hiding your Last Seen status in WhatsApp, the messaging service now makes it simple to seem offline or hide your online status. Once enabled, even when you are online and actively using WhatsApp, other users won’t see the Online tag next to your name or phone number in chats.
Leave WhatsApp Groups Silently
You will need to go to Settings -> Account -> Privacy -> Last Seen once the feature is available. The recently introduced Who can see when I’m online option may be found here. To see the feature in use, take a look at this screenshot from tipper WABetaInfo:
Screenshot Blocking View Once
In your family’s group conversations, are you annoyed by the incessant chatting and good morning messages? You can now leave the group chat without telling the other participants about your decision. In the future, only the admins will be notified when a member of a group leaves, according to the messaging giant’s press statement. For WhatsApp users, this privacy feature is crucial.
Finally, WhatsApp is launching a feature for View Once photographs and videos that really ought to have been available from the start. The business will now forbid customers from taking screenshots of in-conversation emailed images and videos that vanish. The corporation now recognises that the View Once images are designed to be fleeting, which is a good thing. This functionality is being tested now and will be released soon.
