WhatsApp is updating its privacy controls as the company releases more options for its users. Meta's owned messaging platform is giving more power to their users to tailor and give options to their privacy settings.
Recently, WhatsApp has introduced a number of new features, many of which focus on enhancing users' privacy while also enhancing the app's convenience.
WhatsApp initially stated that it would restrict the number of accounts available to users who did not agree to its updated privacy policy, but it then backtracked that statement last year. This week, the messaging software made available a new feature that simplifies the process of transitioning from Android to iOS devices.
WhatsApp Privacy Control
On WhatsApp, greater privacy options are being rolled out for the status, about, profile photo, and last seen settings. The functionality was first previewed in test form in April of last year.
Before this update in the messaging app, users could only restrict those settings for Everyone, My Contacts, or Nobody. However, the new version provides an option called "My Contacts Except," which offers a much more detailed level of control over the settings.
According to WhatsApp, users can now manage who has access to their information by adjusting the privacy settings on their accounts. Users have the ability to select one of the following alternatives for their last seen, profile photo, about, or status:
Everyone: When users choose the "Everyone" setting, this means that everyone who uses WhatsApp will be able to see the user's most recent appearance, profile photo, about, and status updates.
My Contacts Except: This new setting means that a user's contacts from their address book will be able to view their last seen, profile photo, about, or status, with the exception of those contacts they want to exclude.
My Contacts: When users choose this option, this would only permit their contacts from their address book to be the only ones who can view the most recent appearance, profile photo, about, and status updates.
Nobody: For this privacy setting, nobody will be able to view their last seen, profile photo, about, or status updates.
WhatApp's Last Seen Feature
According to Engadget, WhatsApp's "Last Seen" status poses a unique risk to users' privacy because it reveals the time and date that the app was most recently used.
Even if a contact has read receipts turned off, there is still a way to determine whether or not they have viewed the message you sent them by using this method. As WhatsApp stated, "You can also turn off read receipts. If you turn off read receipts, you won't send or receive read receipts."
However, the app added a reminder to users who choose to disable this feature in group chats. The app added, "Keep in mind, read receipts are always sent for group chats, even if you turn off the option in your privacy settings."
With the new feature, users can block other people's profile pictures, status updates, and "about me" sections. They can also turn off the feature itself for certain people.
However, users need to be reminded that they will not be able to view other people's Last Seen statuses if they want to limit who may see theirs to a certain group of individuals by restricting it to them. Users can access the new features by selecting the menu with the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, then going to Account > Privacy.
