WhatsApp has unveiled a new feature called ‘Advanced Chat Privacy,’ aimed at enhancing the security of both individual and group conversations. This innovative privacy enhancement seeks to thwart attempts to save media or export chat content, complementing WhatsApp’s existing end-to-end encryption capabilities for messages and calls. The Advanced Chat Privacy feature empowers users to prevent others from sharing chat content outside of the platform, reinforcing the overall privacy of the user experience. The update is being made available to users of WhatsApp on both iOS and Android devices.
Functionality of WhatsApp’s Advanced Chat Privacy
The Meta-owned messaging application shared details about the Advanced Chat Privacy feature in a blog post published on Wednesday. According to WhatsApp, this feature, accessible in one-on-one and group chats, adds a significant layer of privacy by limiting the ability of others to share content outside of the app.
When enabled, the Advanced Chat Privacy setting prevents participants from exporting chats and halts the automatic downloading of multimedia sent to users’ devices. Additionally, it restricts the utilization of messages with AI features (Meta AI). WhatsApp claims that this function provides assurance to all chat participants, reducing the likelihood that shared conversations will be disseminated further.
This new feature is particularly aimed at enhancing privacy in group discussions, where participants may be unfamiliar with each other and the topics discussed could be sensitive.
Activating Advanced Chat Privacy on WhatsApp
To enable the Advanced Chat Privacy option, users should select the Chat name and then tap on Advanced Chat Privacy. This feature is rolling out to all users who have updated WhatsApp to its latest version, as per the company’s announcement.
WhatsApp has also indicated that this represents the initial version of the Advanced Chat Privacy feature and that it is actively working on enhancing this functionality to provide even greater security. In addition to this, WhatsApp offers various security options, including disappearing messages, end-to-end encryption, and chat locks, catering to users who prioritize privacy and security.
