WhatsApp is in the process of implementing a new privacy-centered feature designed for members of communities. This feature, known as “phone number privacy,” allows users to conceal their phone numbers when joining a community. Currently, it is accessible to all users participating in the beta versions for both Android and iOS. Through this functionality, users can engage in discussions and react to messages while keeping their identities, including names and phone numbers, hidden from fellow community members. The company has not communicated a timeline for when this feature will be available to all users.
According to a report from WABetainfo, a platform that tracks WhatsApp features, the new phone number privacy setting is currently rolling out to beta testers of both Android and iOS. Users with the beta version of WhatsApp for Android, version 2.23.14.19, and iOS, version 23.14.0.70, can access this feature.
This enhancement allows users to keep their phone numbers confidential while joining a community. While the list of community participants is already concealed in the community announcement group, previously, any interaction with messages via reactions would expose the user’s phone number. The newly introduced phone number privacy function aims to ensure that individual contact numbers remain hidden even when users engage with messages through reactions.
The report also includes a screenshot showcasing the phone number privacy feature, providing insight into its potential appearance as it starts to roll out more widely. This feature can be activated from the ‘Community announcement group info’. When enabling this option, WhatsApp notifies users that their numbers will be hidden from other community members, with the exception of the community admin and those who have the user’s contact saved in their phones. It is important to note that this privacy feature applies solely to community members, as the admin’s phone number is continually accessible. Users will have the choice to share their number with select community participants if they wish.
Despite this rollout, WhatsApp has yet to formally announce the launch of the phone number privacy feature, and changes may still occur prior to the final release. For those interested in testing this new security feature, the latest version of WhatsApp can be downloaded from Google Play, the Apple Store, and the TestFlight app.
