What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is free to download messenger app for smartphones. WhatsApp uses the internet to send messages, images, audio, or video. It has a lot of features. The service is very similar to text messaging services, however, because WhatsApp uses the internet to send messages, the cost of using WhatsApp is significantly less than texting.
Where can one use WhatsApp?
One can also use WhatsApp on their desktop. They simply have to go to the WhatsApp website and download it to Mac or Windows. It is popular with teenagers because of features like group chatting, voice messages, and location sharing.
What are its new features?
WhatsApp has introduced two new safety features in India – flash calls and message level reporting. The latter enables users to report accounts by flagging a specific message. The flash call feature is an addition to the SMS verification option mandated on the registration process on WhatsApp.
Why were these 2 features introduced?
WhatsApp introduced these two features to ensure that the user experience remains secure. Apart from end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp offers a slew of safety features like blocking contacts, control over what to share with whom, disappearing messages, and locking the app with Touch ID or Face ID.
What is the new WhatsApp flash call feature on WhatsApp?
The instant messaging app has rolled out flash calls and message-level reporting features as part of its efforts to make the platform more secure. The new flash call feature offers users the option to verify their phone number through an automated call, as opposed to an SMS message while setting up WhatsApp on a new phone or reinstalling it on a handset.
This feature is currently available for Android users only. This path allows WhatsApp to call the phone and verify automatically, eliminating the need for any other SMS verification action. WhatsApp claims that this is a much safer option. It is because it takes place all from within the app.
What is message-level reporting?
As for message-level reporting, WhatsApp users can now report accounts to WhatsApp by flagging a specific message. This can be done by simply long-pressing a particular message to either report or block a user.
In its latest transparency report, WhatsApp says that it banned over 2.2 million accounts in the month of September alone. While most of the accounts banned were due to automated tools kept in place by WhatsApp to trace fishy accounts.
What is the “accept my contacts” feature?
WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo has revealed that the “Accept My Contacts” option is introduced in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.23. The feature allows users to choose who can see their information such as “last seen” status, profile photo, and “about” details on WhatsApp.
It will be the fourth option on the Last Seen settings menu along with Everyone, My Contacts, and Nobody. Users have to select the contacts they do not wish to share information from the “Accept My Contacts” option. Contacts that are not selected will be able to see all the notifications as they did before.
What are the other WhatsApp safety features?
Other safety features introduced by WhatsApp include the ability to control who sees a user profile photo, about, and Status. It also enables users to block accounts if required. WhatsApp also offers two-step verification to users to add an extra layer of security.
For group chats, WhatsApp has group privacy settings that let users control who adds them. The company recently introduced disappearing messages and View Once as well. The latter enables the user to send a photo or video that will disappear on WhatsApp after the recipient has opened it once.
