WhatsApp now lets you delete messages after 2 days, leave groups silently, and adds screenshot blocking
WhatsApp Messenger now allows users to delete messages even after 2 days. The VOIP service announced the news via its social media channels.
Prior to this update, WhatsApp had a pretty strict time limit for deleting messages. You could only do so under 1 hour, 8 minutes and 16 seconds. That's a weird limit, isn't it?
WhatsApp now lets you delete messages after 2 days
So, compared to the previous limit, a 2-day window to delete messages seems like a nice upgrade. But, here's the thing. While the tweet from the company mentions that users have a little over 2 days to delete your messages, it doesn't specify the exact time limit. Is it 48-hours since the message was posted? According to TechCrunch, the limit is actually 2 days and 12 hours, i.e. 60 hours.
The only catch is that when you delete a message in a WhatsApp chat, it still leaves behind a "You deleted this message" remnant. That might look a little awkward, especially when done in a group conversation. This is another area where WhatsApp still has to catch up with its biggest rival, Telegram, as it doesn't leave a mark behind after a deleted message. As a matter of fact, Telegram doesn't have a time limit for deleting messages. It even lets you delete messages sent by others.
It's strange that there is still no option to edit messages in WhatsApp, that feature could come in handy for editing typos, adding additional information, URLs, images, captions, etc.
Last Seen Status
WhatsApp will soon start allowing users to choose which of their contacts can view their last seen status, while hiding the information from other users. This can add another layer of privacy.
Image credit: The Verge
Leave WhatsApp groups silently
Have you ever been a part of a group, but eventually stopped chatting there? The thing is, when you try to exit the group, WhatsApp marks it with a status that reads "User left the group." That can be annoying, as it may get you some unwanted attention, and you could receive some messages inquiring why you left the group. That's the last thing you may have wanted.
The Meta-owned messaging service has a way to fix this, it will soon allow users to leave groups silently. The upcoming feature will only notify admins of the group, so other members in the group won't see a message when you exit the conversation quietly.
Screenshot blocking
You may be aware that WhatsApp supports view once messages, which includes media content. People could still save a copy of such messages by taking a screenshot on their mobile phone. This posed a privacy issue for users.
Screenshot blocking is another privacy-related feature that is coming to WhatsApp Messenger. It will prevent users from saving self-destructing messages, i.e. view once messages. Telegram has a similar feature, called Content Protection, which prevents users from copying, saving or forwarding messages. But this restriction is only available for Telegram Channels.
The improvements for last seen status, screenshot blocking, and exiting groups privately will soon be available for users, on mobile and desktop.
What do you think about these new WhatsApp features?
How to enable screenshots on apps which don’t allow it:
Magisk + LSPosed + Disable-FLAG_SECURE
You’re welcome.
The function screenshot blocking is nothing more than a good hard laugh! This is because it can’t be taken seriously when it concerns saving self-destructing messages!
Install WhatsApp on your desktop/android and then take a screenshot with a program like PicPick.
It’s interesting how they call it Privacy updates, yet, it has two trackers (reported by exodus, that not even Facebook app seem to show any trackers), and it is all the same Meta we will spy you from the obvious Meta/Facebook company.
I don’t know, if people are going to use Whatsapp seems like a better deal just to use Signal which I don’t even trust and think Moxie is a clown who talks a lot of BS. But at least it is not Meta, it doesn’t show trackers etc etc.
I mean, tracking data, people might not think it is a big deal, but anyone can buy easily tracking data and know where device ID whatever was, what day and what time. It is scary how easily any individual can get that data as long as they have the money, so imagine what a government is cable of.
Not even telegram shows trackers and they are more honest than other messaging companies in the sense where they tell you how if you use normal nice synched conversations you will get tons of benefit but they keep the keys in the server if you want to edit a message and have full sync capabilities so the conversation is not just in a device like Whatsapp or Signal or Session and then you might lose your conversations and photos if your device broke or something.
pros and cons I guess, but using whatsapp with so many other messaging apps that have more privacy in mind is just nonsense. I know, some people will say “well my family” blabla, but I guess I would just switch and if they care they will install the app just for me and if they understand they will eventually switch completely, if they don’t, that means they didn’t really care so oh well.
Time it’s just 2^12 seconds
Am I the only one who thinks it’s messed up how Telegram lets you delete messages *sent by others*?
Like.. that shouldn’t be a thing, and I can imagine several scenarios where that could go terribly wrong.
I don’t know I don’t like it because it just helps other people cheat and sneak and do bad things that we’re not supposed to be doing in the world.