WhatsApp has just announced a new layer of protection for sensitive conversations is now making its way to its app. Dubbed “Advanced Chat Privacy,” WhatsApp’s latest layer for privacy is available in both chats and groups and is meant to help prevent other from taking content outside of the app.
WhatsApp users can now enable this new setting to block others from exporting chats, auto-downloading media to their phone, or even using messages for AI features.
This won’t work unless it’s enabled, so make sure to tap the chat name, then tap on Advanced Chat Privacy to enable it. According to WhatsApp, this is just the first iteration of the feature, which suggests it will receive multiple updates in the future that will eventually include more protections.
Starting today, the new Advanced Chat Privacy feature is rolling out to everyone on all platforms. However, since this is a staged rollout, it might take a few weeks to reach everyone.
WhatsApp's new protection feature is rolling out to all platforms | Image credit: WhatsApp
The new layer of privacy adds to several other security features that WhatsApp introduced since the beginning of the year, including disappearing messages and chat lock.
In this day and age, end-to-end encryption doesn’t seem to be enough, as malicious third-party actors find new ways to breach most security protections. These extra layers of security are useful in certain scenarios and patch up some of the exploits that many third parties previously used to steal sensitive information.
With Advanced Chat Privacy, everyone in the chat should have greater confidence that no one can take what is being said outside the chat. If the feature works as intended that is.
More importantly, WhatsApp confirmed plans to continue to build upon Advanced Chat Privacy and add more protections over time, so quite reassuring if you’re using WhatsApp on a daily basis and want your conversations to remain private.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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