WhatsApp is now hiding your online status from strangers, according to a recent update. The new privacy setting, which is available on the app’s latest version, will keep your location and contact information hidden from people you don’t know. The new feature was first spotted by Android Police, who reported that it had been added to the app in a recent update. Previously, your online status – including whether you were currently online or not – was visible to anyone who wanted to see it. According to WhatsApp spokesperson Chris Daniels, the new privacy setting “helps keep you safer by hiding your location and contact information from people you don’t know.” He added that the feature “is based on user feedback” and that it will be rolled out “more broadly over time.” Many users welcomed the change, with some saying that it made them feel more secure about using the app in public. Others argued that it was unnecessary given WhatsApp’s existing security features, such as its two-factor authentication system. ..
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps around. Unfortunately, with that comes many security issues, including strangers tracking your online status. Thankfully, the company is making it so your online status is hidden by default.
According to WABetaInfo, both the Android and iOS WhatsApp apps will make it so your “Last seen” status is only visible to contacts. Previously, anyone could see when you were last online, which made it a lot easier for strangers to stalk you. This change provides a nice extra layer of security for users of the chat app.
Following the report from WABetaInfo, the company’s support team confirmed the change on Twitter.
Changing your online status visibility to contacts only isn’t new. The change is that it’ll now be the default, meaning you won’t have to go to the app’s settings to hide your online status from strangers. Instead, you’ll need to go to the settings if you want to let everyone see whether you’re online or not.
There are entire apps designed to use publicly available online statuses from WhatsApp to track users, so thankfully, those apps will be rendered useless by this change.
This is an excellent change for WhatsApp. It’ll make using the app more secure without removing any critical functionality from its users, which is really all you can ask for.
