Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-02-21 16:09:00
WhatsApp has recently introduced a new feature that prevents Android users from taking screenshots of other users’ profile pictures, as part of their ongoing effort to enhance privacy and security within the app.
The purpose of this new feature is to prevent the unauthorized downloading and sharing of personal photos without the user’s consent. To access this new feature, WhatsApp users are encouraged to update their app to version 2.24.4.25, which is available on the Google Play Store. However, it should be noted that this feature is currently only available for a limited group of beta testers, with Meta (the parent company of WhatsApp) planning to roll it out for all devices in due course.
Users who attempt to take a screenshot of another person’s profile picture will receive a notification stating ‘Can’t take a screenshot due to app restrictions.’ This allows users to have greater control over who can access and share their profile photos, and aligns with Meta’s broader efforts to prioritize user privacy and control.
In addition to the new feature, WhatsApp is also planning to introduce other privacy measures, including options for users to display their profile photo to either nobody, their contacts, or everyone. Similar options will be available for the last seen status, online status indicator, ‘about page,’ and restrictions on who can view their status.
This latest change comes after WhatsApp recently rolled out a ‘view-once’ feature, which prevents users from taking screenshots of images shared in a chat. In a similar move in 2019, WhatsApp updated its privacy measures by preventing users from downloading profile pictures of others. However, this did not entirely eliminate the possibility of taking a screenshot of such photos, leading to the latest policy revision.
Meta, as the parent company of WhatsApp, remains committed to continually improving and enhancing privacy and security measures across all of its platforms. This includes ongoing efforts to empower users with greater control over their personal data and privacy within the app.
Ultimately, these new features and policy revisions mark a significant step forward in WhatsApp’s ongoing commitment to enhancing user privacy, control, and security within the app. As technology continues to evolve, it is essential for companies like Meta to adapt and prioritize the protection of user data and privacy in the digital age.
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