WhatsApp has started rolling out a new privacy feature that will allow users to restrict the information users share on the app, WABetaInfo reported.
The My Contacts Except… feature has been introduced with the beta version of the 2.21.23.14 update for Android devices. The feature will enable users to select who can see information such as Last Seen, profile picture, and About description, WABetaInfo reported.
At present, the Meta-owned messaging app allows three privacy options — Everyone, Nobody, and My Contacts.
Users can select the contacts who they don’t want viewing their information from the My Contacts Except… option in the Last Seen settings menu. The contacts not selected will continue to view all information. The update will also allow users to disable their Last Seen status for specific contacts.
The instant messaging service is also set to release a new user interface for Contact Info and Group Info for specific beta testers, WABetaInfo said in a separate report. The new interface was earlier available when viewing Business Info.
Android beta users are also in line for an updated Disappearing Messages feature. The update will allow users to choose the default message timer for disappearing chats from three options — 24 hours, seven days, and 90 days ephemeral durations. The update had been made available to beta testers on iOS earlier.
WhatsApp introduced the Disappearing Messages feature last year. The feature, when turned on, makes messages disappear automatically after a week.
WhatsApp has also improved its multi-device feature.
WABetaInfo reported that WhatsApp would not send notifications about security code changes when the list of linked devices is changed after the multi-device beta update. According to a WhatsApp blog post: “These codes are unique to each chat and can be compared between people in each chat to verify that the messages you send to the chat are end-to-end encrypted.”
