Did you know that there are over two billion users signed up to WhatsApp? If you and your family are among them then this blog can tell you more about the recently announced privacy updates.
What is WhatsApp?
Launched in 2009, WhatsApp is a free messaging app which allows you to send texts, images, and videos to each other, as well as having conversations over both video and voice call.
WhatsApp requires a minimum age of 16, and users only need a phone number to sign up for an account.
“View Once” messages on WhatsApp
Recently, WhatsApp introduced the ability to send “View Once” photos and videos.
When you send a View Once image the photo will not be stored on the recipient’s device and will disappear once they have viewed it.
To send a View Once message, click on the icon in the text box after selecting an image or video to send as normal, and it will provide you with the option for recipients to View Once.
WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted – this means that nobody except you and the person you are messaging can see the content of your chat.
In the next couple of months, WhatsApp will be rolling out a “Screenshot Blocking” feature which will enable you to block others from taking screenshots of a View Once message.
Although settings such as View Once do give you some control over what they are sharing and who can see it, it is important to remember to think carefully before you share online.
Who can see when I’m online on WhatsApp?
When using WhatsApp, you may have noticed timestamps of the last time a contact was “Last Seen” online, referring to the last time they clicked on the app.
WhatsApp have announced that, later this month, you will be able to control which of your contacts can and can’t see the last time you were online.
Leaving a group without sending a notification
The final update that WhatsApp have announced means that you can leave group chats silently.
Rolling out this month, you will be able to exit a group chat without notifying everybody in that chat. A notification will still be sent to the admin of this group that you have left but this will not be visible more widely.
This could ease the pressure for users who do not wish to be in a group chat but do not want others to see that they have left it.
