WhatsApp Clears Up Confusion Over Encryption With A Handy New Chat Label
Most people who use WhatsApp do so because they want to be assured that what they are chatting about is kept between them and the other user. While simple in form, the messaging service’s latest feature update (beta for Android 2.24.6.11) will add yet another security blanket for users to feel safe while using the app. It will allow users to always be aware of when their chats are secure with a new visual cue (see image below).
It is important to note; the caption letting users know the message is end-to-end encrypted, located below the contact and group name within a conversation, will disappear after a few seconds, so the last seen info can appear in its place. The feature is currently available to beta testers who install the latest updates of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store. It is expected to roll out to more users over the coming weeks.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has not always been a go to for privacy minded users, however. In 2021, the messaging app came under severe scrutiny for its new terms of service, which resulted in a large amount of users leaving the app for what they believed to be more secure alternatives. Telegram and Signal were the biggest winners, with Telegram receiving an estimated 25 million users, and Signal seeing an increase that pushed it across the 50-million mark on the Google Play Store.
Since that time, WhatsApp has been able to win back a portion of its user base, with assurances that what is said on WhatsApp, stays on WhatsApp. The latest enhancement seems to be aimed at adding to that assurance.
