WhatsApp is adding a new privacy feature that blocks people from exporting the contents of a chat.
Called Advanced Chat Privacy, the feature is available with the latest version of the app. You can enable it for both individual and group chats by tapping the chat name and turning on Advanced Chat Privacy.
“When the setting is on, you can block others from exporting chats, auto-downloading media to their phone, and using messages for AI features,” WhatsApp says.
(Credit: WhatsApp)
The intent behind the feature is to provide everyone with “greater confidence that no one can take what is being said outside the chat.” It is ideal for the messages you share in “groups where you may not know everyone closely but are nevertheless sensitive in nature,” such as health support and community welfare groups, WhatsApp adds.
This is just the first version of Advanced Chat Privacy, and the company is working on further protections to make it more robust. In its current state, however, the feature has some caveats. It won’t block users from taking screenshots of chats or saving media to their phone manually, a company spokesperson tells The Verge.
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It’s also unclear if the feature can block the forwarding of messages you send. We have reached out to Meta for clarification and will update when we have a response.
Even with the best restrictions in place, users can always take photographs of your chats using another device so you should always avoid sharing sensitive information with contacts you don’t trust.
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About Jibin Joseph
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