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On Thu, 24 Apr, 12:04 AM UTC
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WhatsApp now lets you block people from exporting your entire chat history
Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. WhatsApp is launching a new "Advanced Chat Privacy" feature that aims to prevent people from taking conversations outside the app. When the setting is turned on, you can block others from exporting your chat history and automatically downloading photos and videos sent in the app. The feature will prevent people from using messages for Meta AI as well, which you can currently use to ask questions within a chat and generate images. By default, WhatsApp saves photos and videos in a chat to your phone's local storage. It also lets you and your recipients export chats (with or without media) to your messages, email, or notes app. The Advanced Chat Privacy setting will prevent this in group and individual chats. This feature still doesn't stop people from taking screenshots of your messages or manually downloading media from chats, WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah confirmed to The Verge. However, WhatsApp says this is its "first version" of the feature, and that it plans to add more protections down the line. "We think this feature is best used when talking with groups where you may not know everyone closely but are nevertheless sensitive in nature," WhatsApp says in its announcement. WABetaInfo first spotted this feature earlier this month, and now it's rolling out to the latest version of the app. You can turn on the setting by tapping the name of your chat and selecting Advanced Chat Privacy.
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WhatsApp's latest feature blocks exports and AI use in chats
WhatsApp just launched a new level of privacy: Advanced Chat Privacy. WhatsApp has always had end-to-end encryption, a feature on many messaging apps, including Signal and Facebook Messenger, that ensures your message can't be read while it's being sent. WhatsApp also has other privacy features, like disappearing messages and chat locks. But on Wednesday, the app launched "Advanced Chat Privacy." "Advanced Chat Privacy," available in one-on-one chats and group chats, blocks users from exporting chats, auto-downloading media, and using messages for AI features. "WhatsApp groups are increasingly an extension of our real-world networks, some of which are far closer than others," the Meta-owned app said in its blog post about the feature. "We think this feature is best used when talking with groups where you may not know everyone closely but are nevertheless sensitive in nature, like talking about health challenges in a support group or organizing your community about something important to you." To use the feature, make sure your app is updated, tap the chat name, and then tap "Advanced Chat Privacy." Of course, it's important to remember that even the most advanced privacy measures can't help you if you add a high-level journalist to your text conversation and start talking about imminent military plans.
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WhatsApp Now Lets You Block People From Exporting Chats
Advanced Chat Privacy makes it harder to export WhatsApp data. WhatsApp is adding a new privacy feature that will allow you to block others from exporting chats, automatically downloading media, and using your messages for AI features, among other limitations. All of this is a part of a new option called Advanced Chat Privacy, which is currently rolling out to WhatsApp users worldwide. To use these features, make sure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp on your device. Then, open a private chat or a group in WhatsApp, tap the name of the contact or group, and scroll down until you see Advanced Chat Privacy. This button is located near the Lock Chat option on this page. Note that it may not appear on WhatsApp immediately since it's being rolled out in batches worldwide. If you don't see this feature, sit tight, as it should roll out to you soon. Once you enable Advanced Chat Privacy, others won't be able to export your chats from WhatsApp. You can also block others from enabling automatic media downloads on their device or using your messages for AI features in WhatsApp. Notably, the company is calling this the "first version" of Advanced Chat Privacy, and says it will add more features to this setting in the future. You should know that enabling this setting doesn't make it impossible to export your chats or save media. If someone is determined to export data from WhatsApp, they can easily take screenshots or manually download media. This privacy feature will make it a little harder to export data, since users won't be able to rely on WhatsApp's built-in options, but it won't really be able to stop someone who is determined to bypass these restrictions. The latest update follows a slew of new WhatsApp features, including the ability to see who's online in a group chat, more control over group notifications, a built-in document scanner on WhatsApp for iPhone, and many more.
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WhatsApp launches a new Advanced Chat Privacy feature, allowing users to block chat exports, automatic media downloads, and AI use in conversations, aiming to provide enhanced control over personal data.
WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta, has introduced a new "Advanced Chat Privacy" feature, aimed at giving users more control over their conversations and personal data. This update comes as part of WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to enhance user privacy and security within the platform 123.
The new feature offers several privacy-enhancing options:
These protections apply to both individual and group chats, giving users more control over their sensitive conversations 13.
To access this new feature:
It's worth noting that the feature is being rolled out gradually, so some users may not see it immediately 3.
While Advanced Chat Privacy adds a layer of protection, it's important to understand its current limitations:
WhatsApp has stated that this is the "first version" of the feature, with plans to add more protections in the future 1. The company suggests that this feature is particularly useful "when talking with groups where you may not know everyone closely but are nevertheless sensitive in nature" 12.
This update aligns with WhatsApp's existing privacy features, such as end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and chat locks 2. It reflects the growing demand for enhanced privacy controls in messaging apps, especially as these platforms increasingly serve as extensions of real-world networks 2.
The introduction of Advanced Chat Privacy also comes amid broader discussions about data privacy and the role of AI in communication platforms. By allowing users to restrict AI feature usage, WhatsApp is acknowledging the sensitive nature of personal conversations and the potential concerns surrounding AI's access to this data 12.
As messaging apps continue to evolve, features like Advanced Chat Privacy demonstrate the ongoing balance between functionality, user control, and data protection in the digital communication landscape.
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