Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced a new privacy update aimed at safeguarding user information from unknown contacts and third-party apps. This update, rolled out for both Android and iOS devices, adds an extra layer of protection to users’ online status and last seen timestamps.
Preventing Third-Party Access
According to a report by WABetaInfo, certain third-party apps available on Google Play Store for Android and Apple App Store for iOS have been able to access data from WhatsApp to track users’ online activity and last seen status. To counter this, WhatsApp has implemented measures to restrict access to such data.
Following the latest improvements, WhatsApp will no longer display a user’s last seen or online status to unknown contacts. If a user has never engaged in a chat with another WhatsApp account, their online status and last seen timestamp will remain hidden. Consequently, third-party apps without an active chat history with the user will be unable to track their online presence.
Future Privacy Enhancements
In addition to the recent privacy update, WhatsApp is actively developing a feature that will allow users to further restrict certain information, such as their last seen status and profile picture, from specific contacts. This upcoming feature will provide users with greater control over their privacy settings, allowing them to customize their visibility on the platform.
Disappearing Messages by Default
WhatsApp has also announced an expansion of its disappearing messages feature. Users now have the option to enable disappearing messages by default for all new chats. The update introduces two new durations for disappearing messages: 24 hours and 90 days, in addition to the existing 7-day option.
With this feature enabled, any new one-on-one chats initiated by the user or another participant will automatically be set to disappear after the selected duration. Moreover, a new option has been added for creating group chats, allowing users to enable disappearing messages for new group conversations.
Optional Feature with No Data Loss
It’s important to note that the new disappearing messages feature is entirely optional and does not impact or delete any existing chat data. Users have the flexibility to choose their preferred duration for disappearing messages, providing them with greater control over their digital footprint on the platform.
Overall, these updates reflect WhatsApp’s ongoing commitment to enhancing user privacy and security, empowering users with more control over their online experience.
