WhatsApp is developing a new privacy feature that aims to give users more control over how their chat content can be saved and exported by others. The feature, currently being tested in beta versions of the app on both iOS and Android platforms, introduces an "advanced chat privacy" setting.
This new privacy option appears within individual and group chat settings. When activated, it prevents other participants from exporting entire chat histories outside of WhatsApp. The feature also stops automatic saving of media files like photos and videos to device galleries.
For group conversations, all members receive a notification when this privacy setting is enabled. The feature comes with an additional effect - it deactivates Meta AI capabilities within the protected chats, including functions like question-answering and image generation.
While this new privacy control adds a layer of protection, it does not completely prevent others from preserving chat content. Users can still forward individual messages or take screenshots of conversations. For stronger privacy protection, WhatsApp users can combine this with existing disappearing messages functionality, which automatically deletes messages after a specified time period.
The advanced chat privacy feature is currently limited to beta testers, and WhatsApp has not yet announced when it will be available to all users. This development represents another step in WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to enhance user privacy and data control within the messaging platform.
Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, continues to refine the feature's implementation as it progresses through the testing phase, potentially adding or adjusting capabilities before the final release to the general public.