WhatsApp is the most-popular instant messaging platform across the world. As per Statista, there are over 480 million-plus WhatsApp users in India. It’s the most-popular platform to keep in touch with family, friends, as well as for work too for many if not all. The huge user base also makes it prone to abuse. There have been incidents of spam, stalking and more on WhatsApp. However, the Facebook-owned company offers checks and balances that users can go for to keep their accounts safe. Here are some tips shared by WhatsApp on the occasion of Data Privacy Day.
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Set up 6-digit PIN
The two-step verification feature adds an extra layer of security to ’WhatsApp accounts. It basically means using a 6-digit PIN number to access your WhatsApp account. Users can activate two-step verification through the settings menu in the app.
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Use Touch ID, Face ID or Fingerprint lock your chats
WhatsApp also offers users the ability to lock their accounts using biometric methods. This means through Touch ID and Face ID on iPhones and Fingerprint lock on Android phones.
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Enable Disappearing messages
The feature enables WhatsApp users to send messages that disappear after a certain time period. Users can choose the time period. New messages sent to an individual or group chat will disappear twenty-four hours, seven days or ninety days after the time they are sent, depending on the duration users select.
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‘View once’ feature
WhatsApp also offers ‘View once’ feature. Somewhat similar to disappearing messages feature, here the chats disappear after the recipient has seen it once. What it means is that the photo or video sent with the View once option enabled can only be viewed once. It works quite like Instagram’s Vanish Mode.
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Block and report
WhatsApp provides a simple way for users to block accounts that send dangerous messages, spam or simply the ones that they are not keen on chatting with. Users also have the option to report accounts that they find sending problematic messages. In addition, users have the option to keep reported messages on their phone if they want to share them with fact-checkers or law enforcement officials.
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Admin controls in WhatsApp groups
To offer more control to users on WhatsApp groups, WhatsApp’s setting enables administrators to decide who can send messages within groups.
