WhatsApp is gearing up to introduce new features aimed at improving user experience and enhancing privacy on its platform. The messaging app, owned by Meta, is reportedly developing a custom chat filter feature and a privacy feature to prevent profile photo screenshots.
The new chat filter feature is designed to help users streamline and prioritize their important conversations. Users often struggle with managing numerous chats, especially with the limited option to pin only three favorite chats. This upcoming feature, spotted in the latest TestFlight beta update, will allow users to filter their chats based on their favorite contacts. By doing so, users can easily access and prioritize their most significant conversations. What’s more, this feature will be compatible with WhatsApp Web, enabling users to synchronize their preferences across multiple devices.
This new addition complements WhatsApp’s earlier announcement about the ability to initiate calls with favorite contacts directly from the calls tab with a single tap. Both features aim to personalize the WhatsApp experience and make it more efficient for users.
However, it’s important to note that the chat filter feature is still in the development phase. Users can expect it to become available in beta first before a full public release. Similarly, the feature for favorite contacts is also under development and is expected to be included in a future update.
In addition to these enhancements, WhatsApp is also focusing on bolstering user privacy. The platform is testing a new privacy feature to prevent users from taking screenshots of other users’ profile photos, commonly known as display pictures. This privacy feature is part of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, currently available on the Google Play Store.
When this privacy feature goes live, attempting to take a screenshot of someone else’s profile photo will trigger a notification stating ‘Can’t take a screenshot due to app restrictions’. However, users will still be able to capture a photo of another user’s profile photo using a different device, such as a phone or camera. This serves as a reminder for users to exercise caution regarding their display pictures, even after the feature is rolled out.
The primary objective of this privacy feature is to mitigate the risk of impersonation and harassment on the platform. While it is currently available to some beta testers, WhatsApp plans to release it to all users in the coming weeks.
These new features align with WhatsApp’s previous efforts to enhance user privacy. In 2019, the platform disabled the ability for users to download other users’ profile photos. Additionally, WhatsApp, under Meta’s ownership, is developing a dedicated chatbot aimed at verifying facts and identifying fake news generated by deep fakes and AI.
As these developments unfold, users can look forward to a more personalized and secure experience on WhatsApp, with features designed to simplify communication and protect user privacy.
