Last year, the Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp began developing a new privacy setting that would allow users to hide their profile photos, last seen, and about information from specific people in their contact lists.
It was only available for beta version users, but the company has now announced that it will be accessible to all iPhone and Android users worldwide.
Users can now show their WhatsApp profile photo, last seen, and About information to anyone in their contacts list except those they choose to keep out.
Previously, users could choose between three privacy settings for their profile photo, last seen, and About information: Everyone, My Contacts, and Nobody. According to GSM Arena, these are met by a third alternative named ‘My contacts except…,’ which can also be used for Status privacy.
However, just like read receipts, if someone doesn’t share their last seen with others, they won’t be able to see others. The only difference is that the latter will always remain operational for group chats, even if they’ve turned it off.
To test this new privacy control, users can go to WhatsApp’s Settings > Account > Privacy menu on an iPhone or Android device.
WhatsApp also announced some group calling features, including the ability to mute others during a group call and send messages to particular users, in addition to new privacy control. When someone joins a group call off-screen, a banner appears.
The latest WhatsApp beta update also includes an admin approval feature, which allows group admins to accept or deny requests from people who want to join via hyperlink.
