WhatsApp has introduced a new feature called "Advanced Chat Privacy" to give users more control over message sharing and media handling within the app. This feature is available for both individual and group chats, aiming to prevent participants from exporting chat history or automatically saving shared media to their devices.
One of the key benefits is that once Advanced Chat Privacy is activated, any attempt to export chat records will be blocked, and users will receive a notification indicating the feature is enabled. Similarly, in group chats, enabling this feature will notify all participants, promoting transparency.
It's important to note that turning on Advanced Chat Privacy disables the Meta AI assistant within the chat.
In its statement, the company explained: "We believe this feature is most suitable for conversations with groups where you may not know everyone personally but the discussions are sensitive, such as talking about health challenges in support groups or organizing community discussions on topics important to you."
While this new feature restricts exporting entire chats and automatic media saving, it doesn't prevent users from manually forwarding individual messages or taking screenshots. For additional privacy protection, users can utilize WhatsApp's existing disappearing messages feature, which allows messages to automatically delete after a set period.
In terms of availability, this latest feature is currently being rolled out to users on Android and iOS platforms who are using the latest version of WhatsApp.
Interestingly, these developments come amid ongoing scrutiny and legal challenges related to WhatsApp's data privacy practices. In fact, last year (2024), India's antitrust regulator – the Competition Commission of India (CCI) – fined Meta approximately 2.13 billion rupees for anti-competitive behavior in WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update. The CCI concluded that the "take it or leave it" approach of the policy forced users to consent, compelling them to share data with Meta without an opt-out option. However, earlier this year, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) partially suspended the CCI's order, allowing WhatsApp to share data with Meta solely for advertising purposes.
Even in South Korea, WhatsApp's parent company was fined $15 million for illegally collecting sensitive information from Facebook users without clear consent. This situation becomes more significant as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) initiates a historic antitrust trial against Meta, aiming to force the divestiture of WhatsApp and Instagram.
Despite all these challenges, WhatsApp continues to enhance its platform with new features, contributing to its widespread adoption. For instance, in the latest Android beta version 2.25.12.25, the company is testing a new message translation feature that allows users to translate messages directly within the app.
