WhatsApp’s new privacy measures to protect users from unauthorized third-party apps
WhatsApp currently seems to be working on making it more challenging for strangers to spy on your online status. The messaging service started this process a few weeks ago when beta users were allowed to hide their “Last seen” status from specific contacts, but it seems that the developers want to make it harder for strangers that you are the default. When was the last time you were online?
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is changing the default “last seen” visibility on Android and iOS from “Everyone” to “My Contacts”. The new default behavior has also been confirmed to the Twitter user via WhatsApp support and it looks like the service is being offered to everyone automatically.
The change means people and businesses you have never chatted with will not see your status and vice versa. While it is possible to set your personal online logs to be visible only to contacts or to anyone, WhatsApp by default allows anyone to see everyone’s “last seen” status in the past.
It’s a new security feature. Got this reply from support today. If the person has not got your number in their contacts, or you haven’t sent one message between you, last seen/online is no longer visible. pic.twitter.com/qLPtC6rPOA
— PsyColette 🎅🏻🎄 (@NiHaolain) December 7, 2021
It can be deadly for third-party apps that allow strangers to monitor someone else’s online status, providing them with detailed information about their chatting habits and sleep and work rhythms as well. Because these services rely on publicly available online status data, they quickly become useless.
At the moment, it seems possible to revert your “Last seen” status to be visible to everyone in the settings, but with WhatsApp changing the default behavior in this way, we should not be surprised if at some point that option is removed. However, we recommend not sharing your online status with anyone for privacy reasons, so this is definitely a good chance.
WhatsApp is currently working to make its service more private, at least for other people. In addition to the option to hide your online status from specific contacts in beta, the company also recently introduced the option to make your messages disappear after a certain time limit for all chats.
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WhatsApp has pushed a new beta update with version 2.24.26.6 for Android users via the Google Play Beta Program. This update makes it easier to reply to voice messages with just a tap to save time and improve the chat experience.
The new feature adds a quick reply button for voice messages. When you listen to a voice note, you’ll see a button that allows you to immediately record and send your reply.
It means you no longer need to swipe or tap the “reply” option as you did before. With just one tap, you can respond directly to keep the conversation flowing smoothly.
This new quick voice reply feature is similar to a feature WhatsApp introduced earlier for video messages. Users could reply to video messages with a simple tap, without any extra steps.
Now, with this new update, WhatsApp is adding the same feature for voice messages. It makes replying to voice messages quicker and easier than ever.
The quick reply feature is currently available to limited users who are testing the WhatsApp Beta program with the latest version. It is being rolled out gradually, so more people will be able to try it over the next few weeks. If you’re a beta tester, you can update your app through the Google Play Store to access this new feature.
WhatsApp is testing a new feature for group chats in its latest beta update. Identified via version 2.24.25.30 available through the Google Play Beta Program, the WhatsApp beta update adds an online counter feature.
The new online counter appears at the top of group chats to show how many people in the group have WhatsApp open and are online. This replaces the old feature that showed a summary of who was typing or recording a message.
Now, you can quickly see how many members are active in the group at any moment. This feature helps you to understand when it might be a good time to send a message or start a conversation.
Notably, the online counter only includes members who haven’t turned off their online status option in their privacy settings. If a user has hidden their online status, they won’t be counted, which ensures their privacy.
This feature can be especially useful in busy groups, as it lets you know when most people are online. Currently, the online counter is available to some beta testers, and it will gradually be rolled out to more users in the coming weeks.
WhatsApp Beta helps you never forget unread messages from important contacts
WhatsApp has released a fresh beta update with version 2.24.25.29, which brings a reminder notification feature for unread chat messages. This new beta update is available for Android via the Google Play Beta Program.
Previously, WhatsApp only sent reminders for status updates from specific contacts, mainly those you interact with the most. With the new update, WhatsApp is expanding this feature to remind you about unread chat messages from your most frequent contacts.
These reminders are sent for messages from people you chat with the most. If you leave a message unread, WhatsApp will notify you to make sure you don’t forget to reply.
Notably, the app uses an internal algorithm to choose these contacts based on how often you interact with them. However, if you reinstall the app, this data will be reset, as it’s not saved in backups or on WhatsApp’s servers.
Once this feature is activated, WhatsApp will remind you about any unread messages from important contacts. WhatsApp also makes sure the reminders are relevant and helpful without being annoying.
This feature is currently available to limited beta testers who have installed the latest version of WhatsApp Beta for Android. WhatsApp also plans to roll it out to more users.
WhatsApp adds floating button and gestures for faster group voice chats