WhatsApp beta users can now hide their numbers
WhatsApp is bolstering its privacy protocols for community users by introducing an innovative feature that allows members to shield their phone numbers from view.
In a typical community chat, participant identities remain concealed, with the exception of administrators who can view all members' names. However, as reported by WABetaInfo, this veil of anonymity thins when you respond to a message in the community announcement group, thereby publicly exposing your phone number. Enter the new 'Phone Number Privacy' feature, ensuring that your contact information stays away from unwanted scrutiny.
Early reports, replete with illustrative images, indicate that the community's announcement group information menu will include a 'Phone Number Privacy' option. Engaging this option triggers a prompt, clarifying that despite your efforts to conceal your details, certain individuals can still view your number.
These include community admins and individuals who have saved your number or have access to it from other chats. Furthermore, if you wish to reach out to a member who has chosen to hide their number, you can send a request, asking them to disclose their contact details.
Please note, this feature is exclusively available to community members. If you're a community creator or an administrator, WhatsApp's privacy settings don't permit you to hide your phone number.
How to try out Phone Number Privacy?
To get a first-hand experience of the 'Phone Number Privacy' feature, you can download the latest WhatsApp beta version for Android from the Google Play Store or for iOS from the Apple App Store, provided you already have access.
Regrettably, for iPhone users who haven't gained early access, Apple's TestFlight program for WhatsApp isn't taking on new applicants. Conversely, Android users are in luck, as Google's beta program for the Play Store is still welcoming new participants.
According to WABetaInfo, the beta version is being rolled out in phases. Consequently, the 'Phone Number Privacy' feature might not be instantly available post-installation. Therefore, it's advisable to stay vigilant for the beta's arrival on your device. As for the official launch date of this feature, it remains a mystery. However, given its beta release, we anticipate that 'Phone Number Privacy' will soon be widely accessible.
It's worth noting that WABetaInfo hints at the potential expansion of this update to other WhatsApp groups, though the specific groups are yet to be identified. It would indeed be a significant upgrade if smaller WhatsApp groups could also enjoy this added layer of privacy.
- Read also: How to hide your WhatsApp Online status
Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.
He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.
Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?
Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?
Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.
The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.
It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.
> The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…
Sadly, I have to agree.
Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.
If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!
We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.
because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…
“Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.
How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.
Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.
Sorry posted on the wrong page.
such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time
I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.
I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S
Quoting the article,
“As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”
Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?
I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.
@John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]
This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.
> Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.
Firefox did this long before Safari.
Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.