WhatsAppthe mobile-focused instant messaging service owned by Meta (formerly Facebook), tries to show an image of reliability to the public, so its managers are preparing new options at the privacy level with the purpose of giving more power over control of the experience offered while introducing new layers to protect the privacy of communications.
One of the new features of WhatsApp we already anticipated last month, and it is the ability to indicate which contacts can see your online status while hiding it from others. Under the name of “online presence control” and with a deployment date set for this month, the user will have at his disposal in the mobile and desktop applications the possibility of indicating which contacts on his list can see his status.
The Meta subsidiary is also working on a new feature for the messages of “see only once” that consists of blocking the possibility of taking screenshots. These messages, which were introduced about a year ago, disappear once they have been opened. The addition of the screenshot blocker is more of a placebo than anything else, since there is always the possibility of taking a photo or a video from another device, but sometimes the barriers against people without knowledge and ideas become effective.
And finally we have the possibility of being able to leave groups without sending a mass notification to all members, although administrators will be notified. Aside from being a small privacy addition coming this month to desktop and mobile, it should make the experience of moving between groups less awkward.
WhatsApp has been working for many months to improve its features focused on privacy, although trusting the service or not is a decision that is left up to the user and their preferences.
In addition to the three features that we have mentioned in this post, WhatsApp has introduced or plans to introduce new features for group administrators, the use of the same account on two smartphones, it has extended the time to delete messages in any conversation and it has committed not to weaken the security of its service to comply with the demands of certain governments.
