WhatsApp has announced the rollout of three new privacy features, which unlock new ways for users to better control their visibility in conversations, as well as keep prying eyes away from how often they’re checking the app.
Feature #1: Silently leave groups
One of the most notable new features being rolled out by WhatsApp is the agility to leave groups silently. Users will now be able to exit a group privately without making it a big deal to all other participants. Admins will still get notified but all other participants within a group chat will not.
Feature #2: Screenshot blocking for View Once messages
WhatsApp’s second new feature is the enablement of screenshot blocking of View Once messages for an added layer of protection. View Once is already a mainstream way of sharing media without the need of a permanent digital record but the new feature takes it one step further by blocking screenshots of View Once messages.
Feature #3: Choose who can see when you’re online
It’s great to see when your family or friends are online, but there are times where we want to privately check WhatsApp without standing on any toes or making people feel like they’re being ignored. For the moments that you want to keep your online presence private, WhatsApp is introducing the ability to select who can and can’t see when you’re online.
Screenshot blocking for View Once Messages is currently being tested and will rollout soon, but the other two new features will start rolling out to all users this month.
