There are lots of privacy and security features built into WhatsApp, but there have been a few oversights. Looking to remedy this, a new “privacy layer” called Advanced Chat Privacy provides powerful options.
The feature has been designed with those conversations that need to be kept private in mind. It gives the option of blocking anyone you are chatting to — one-on-one or in a group — from exporting chats. It’s a nice security boost, but it’s not infallible.
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The new Advanced Chat Privacy options join the likes of disappearing messages, View Once messages, and — of course — the all-important end-to-end encryption that users have become used to.
Introducing the feature, which is available to everyone globally in the latest version of the app, WhatsApp explains:
When the setting is on, you can block others from exporting chats, auto-downloading media to their phone, and using messages for AI features. That way everyone in the chat has greater confidence that no one can take what is being said outside the chat.
The company suggests that the added privacy is useful when sharing sensitive data in a group chat where you do not know everyone well. This could be related to the sharing of sensitive business or financial information, or it could be something more personal in a support group.
Of course, anyone who is determined to export data will find a way to do so, even if it means falling back on the pretty foolproof method of using another device to take photos of chats. But there are more features to come, WhatsApp says:
This is the first version of this feature and we’re planning to add more to it so that it will eventually include even more protections.
You can try out the new options by tapping a chat name followed by Advanced Chat Privacy.
