WhatsApp is adding new privacy options, including screenshot blocking and a stealth mode

guest · Aug 9, 2022

August 9, 2022

WhatsApp is introducing a small flurry of privacy-minded tweaks into the messaging app, the company announced on Tuesday. The Meta-owned globally ubiquitous messaging service says the changes aim to give users more control over their experience while introducing “added layers” to protect their private communications.

WhatsApp will introduce an option for users to privately use the app without being visibly online, something it calls “online presence control.”
The list of contacts who can view your online status doesn’t have a cap and you can swap people in and out at any time.
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The company is also testing screenshot blocking for “view once” messages, which disappear after being opened a single time.
The feature is in testing for now but the company hopes to get it out to users broadly “soon.

The last change is another small quality of life update, but a notable enough one. This month, WhatsApp will allow users to leave groups privately without sending out a mass notification that they bailed.
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WhatsApp Head of Product Ami Vora described the additions as a boost to the app’s “interlocking layers of protection,” which aim to bolster its status as a prominent encrypted messaging option.

“We’ll keep building new ways to protect your messages and keep them as private and secure as face-to-face conversation,” Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said of the new features.
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stapp · Dec 22, 2022

WhatsApp Messenger has a new feature that lets you recover a message that you deleted. But you'll have to be nimble fingered, as you only have 5 seconds to correct your mistake.
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https://www.ghacks.net/2022/12/22/w...ion-to-recover-accidentally-deleted-messages/

guest · Jan 5, 2023

WhatsApp just made it harder to censor citizens with Internet shutdowns
Report says 710 million people were impacted by Internet shutdowns in 2022.
By Ashley Belanger @ashleynbelanger - January 5, 2023

To ring in the new year, WhatsApp introduced a new feature to help people circumvent government-imposed Internet shutdowns that the United Nations said last summer work to undermine human rights.

“To help, today we’re launching proxy support for WhatsApp users all over the world,” WhatsApp’s statement said. “What this means is we’re putting the power into people’s hands to maintain access to WhatsApp if their connection is blocked or disrupted.”
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WhatsApp did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment on how long development of this feature has been in the works. In its statement, the messaging app pointed to Internet “disruptions like we’ve seen in Iran for months on end” that “deny people’s human rights and cut people off from receiving urgent help” as a primary motivation.

WhatsApp’s new feature arrives at a moment when Internet shutdowns have been affecting hundreds of millions. According to the independent VPN review site Top10VPN, the cost of government-imposed Internet shutdowns has risen by more than 300 percent since 2021.
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WhtsApps: Connecting to WhatsApp by Proxy

Happy New Year to everyone who uses WhatsApp! We’re mindful that just as we’ve celebrated the start to 2023 through private texts or calls, there are many people who continue to be denied the ability to reach their loved ones because of internet shutdowns.

Choosing a proxy enables you to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world dedicated to helping people communicate freely. If you have the ability to help others connect, you can learn how to set up a proxy here.
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Connecting via proxy maintains the high level of privacy and security that WhatsApp provides. Your personal messages will still be protected by end-to-end encryption — ensuring they stay between you and the person you’re communicating with and are not visible to anyone in between, not the proxy servers, WhatsApp, or Meta.
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guest · Jan 19, 2023

Upcoming outstanding features to look forward to in WhatsApp in 2023
By Shaun - January 19, 2023

WhatsApp continues to impress its users as they release frequent updates containing subtle improvements and new features, such as being able to undo the ‘Delete for Me’ option. While many of these new features aren’t broadcast publicly before release, they can be spotted on the WhatsApp beta version, where they’re tested out. This year, WhatsApp is kicking off with a bang with five new features that are sure to make using the messaging app even more convenient.
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The first new feature that users on the beta program have noticed is a copy text from an image feature. This new feature will first be released to iPhone users, as the latest models (iOS 16 or later) already include a similar feature. This feature will allow users to copy text from images and photos.
Another useful feature coming to the messaging platform is the ability to add a caption when forwarding a message.

Another extremely beneficial feature that will be coming to WhatsApp users soon is a much better way to backup files and move your chat history between Android devices. Currently, Android users back up their chat history to Google Drive.
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Finally, the fifth and last new feature to kick off 2023 is a proxy connection. This will enable the user to connect a proxy to their WhatsApp so that they can continue using the app in countries where it might be banned, like Iran. The proxy also adds an additional layer of security and privacy to the app and your communications. This feature is already rolling out in the latest version of WhatsApp.
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guest · Jan 21, 2023

WhatsApp will now let users send messages to themselves with latest update
By Filipe Espósito @filipeesposito - January 20, 2023

The popular instant messaging app WhatsApp is now introducing another new feature. With this update, users will be able to send messages to themselves using the messaging platform, just as is already possible in apps like Telegram.
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Prior to this update, the only way to send a message to yourself on WhatsApp was to create a group with only you in it. However, this feature will let users choose themselves from the contact list to start a new conversation. Therefore, you can now send messages, URLs, stickers, and other media just for you.

Even though texting yourself may seem unusual, many people do it for personal notes or even to save some important media and easily access it later on another device. This feature has been tested with the beta version of WhatsApp for iPhone and is now being rolled out to all users with the latest version of the app.
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But that’s not all. WhatsApp is also rolling out other new features (via BGR), including the ability to search for a message by date, drag-and-drop support for sharing media, and an undo button for deleted messages.
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guest · Feb 7, 2023

WhatsApp adds highly requested Status Reaction feature along with more updates to Status
by Anushe Fawaz @NushesSrndipity - February 7, 2023

Introduced in 2017, WhatsApp Status is now getting additional features as the company’s latest announcement suggests. Status on WhatsApp enables users to post GIFs, photos, videos, text, and more for a maximum of 24 hours for others to see.
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There are five new features WhatsApp Status is getting. One of them is the “Private Audience Selector,” which allows individuals to select their preferred privacy settings by deciding who views their status. Before posting a new Status, users can update their privacy settings, while their "most recent audience selection will be saved and used as the default for your next status.”

WhatsApp is also bringing “Voice Status”, which lets users record and post voice messages of up to 30 seconds on Status. The company suggests that the capability could be ideal for sharing updates “especially if you feel more comfortable expressing yourself by talking rather than typing.”
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Users are also getting “Status Reactions” which are a quick way to react and respond to statuses from other users.

The fourth feature is the “Status Profile Rings for New Updates.” Whenever an individual posts a WhatsApp Status, a ring will form around their profile picture. The ring will be visible in chat lists, contact info, and group chat profiles. Lastly, the company is adding a “Link Previews on Status”. With this capability, a preview of the link the poster wishes to add will be displayed on the WhatsApp Status.
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WhatsApp: New Ways to Enjoy WhatsApp Status

Status is a popular way to share ephemeral updates with friends and close contacts on WhatsApp. They disappear in 24 hours and may include photos, videos, GIFs, text, and more. Just like your personal chats and calls, your WhatsApp status is protected by end-to-end encryption so you can share privately and securely.
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