WhatsApp announces privacy changes to app to help you feel more secure - Mark Zuckerberg’s message to users

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Messaging app WhatsApp has announced some major changes rolling out this month to improve privacy for their 2+ billion users.

Meta, which runs WhatsApp along other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, will be implementing new functions allowing users to choose who can see if they have been online on the app, as well as allowing users to leave group chats without notifying others.

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Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chairman and CEO, said in an announcement: ‘We’ll keep building new ways to protect your messages and keep them as private and secure as face-to-face conversations.’

What more updates will WhatsApp get?

WhatsApp has always been using end-to-end encryption, and the upcoming updates will help improve the security and privacy of users even more.

WhatsApp is currently testing a feature allowing users to block the ability to screenshot View Once messages designed to disappear after being viewed once.

WhatsApp’s head of product Ami Vora, said that the platform was focused on building features that empower people to have more control and privacy over their messages.

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She added: ‘Over the years, we’ve added interlocking layers of protection to help keep their conversations secure, and the new features is one way we continue to deliver on our commitment to keep messages private.’

‘No other global messaging service at this scale provides this level of security for their users’ messages, media, voice messages, video calls, and chat backups.

‘We believe WhatsApp is the most secure place to have a private conversation. And to spread the word about these new features, we’re also kicking off a global campaign, starting with the UK and India, to educate people about how we work to protect their private conversations on WhatsApp.’

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