The instant messaging app WhatsApp is set to introduce a new privacy feature that will allow users to hide their ‘Online’ status, and people are welcoming the new change.
Remember that glorious day when WhatsApp allowed users an extra bit of privacy and allowed us to disable the dreaded blue ‘read’ tick? We could happily read a message from someone and not feel pressured to reply immediately because they could not see that we’ve read their message. But soon people caught on and realized that they were being ignored or avoided because WhatsApp still showed that you were ‘Online’. Well not anymore!
According to WABetaInfo, an independent blog that announces news about WhatsApp, eight new features have been announced last week, including the much-anticipated ability to hide your online status.
“We announced that WhatsApp is finally working on the ability to hide the online status thanks to a new privacy setting called ‘who can see when I’m online’. This feature has been very appreciated and it is surely the best news of the week,” reports the blog.
WhatsApp can also expect new features such as an update for the feature ‘delete for everyone’, which will now be availabe for everyone within two days and 12 hours after sending a message, or the ability to react to messages using any emoji. WhatsApp is also working on another privacy update that will enable people to discreetly leave group chats.
These new features add to existing attempts to offer users more privacy. WhatsApp recently announced that users would soon be able select which information is available to whom, including their profile photos, as per IOL. WhatsApp reportedly announced that it would allow users to choose which contacts will be able to see their ‘Profile Photo’, ‘About’ and the ‘Last Seen’ information.
The planned changes to the app puts them at a slight advantage to their competitor, Telegram, who has introduced similar privacy features. However, the new privacy settings from WhatsApp are more customisable than Telegram, allowing WhatsApp users more freedom and control over what they choose to share.
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