One of the fastest growing messaging services, WhatsApp has grown to over 1.5 billion active users in the past ten years, and though it has been under scrutiny for security and privacy, the company is rolling out new privacy settings for Groups.
Following this update, users will be able to control who can and cannot add them to a group. Unlike before where anyone and everyone could add you to a group, the Facebook-owned messaging service has given greater control to the end user.
Groups have been an essential part of WhatsApp, but more often than not people are added to groups they don’t wish to join and on top of that are bombarded with scores of messages, sometimes from unknown users, which doesn’t help.
With the new privacy settings, you can select if everyone, no one or just your contacts can add you to a group.
This new privacy update will start rolling out today and will be available worldwide in the coming weeks. Just keep a lookout for the latest WhatsApp update, which will bring more privacy to your online being.
“WhatsApp groups continue to connect family, friends, coworkers, classmates and more. As people turn to groups for important conversations, users have asked for more control over their experience. Today, we’re introducing a new privacy setting and invite system to help you decide who can add you to groups,” the company stated.
Also read: Check out this WhatsApp Mod with added features and improved privacy
How to enable privacy settings on WhatsApp Groups?
To enable privacy settings on WhatsApp Groups, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Go to Settings in your WhatsApp app
- Tap on Account
- Tap on Privacy
- Tap on Groups
- Choose one of these three options: ‘Nobody’, ‘My Contacts’, ‘Everyone.’
If you choose ‘Nobody’, no one will be able to directly add you to a group, one they can send you an invite to join the group. The invitation will be sent to you in a private chat and will expire in three days.
If you choose ‘My Contacts’, then those who are in your phone’s contacts will be able to add you directly to a group, and those who aren’t in your contacts can invite you.
Choosing ‘Everyone’ will leave the privacy settings to as it has been since Group features first showed up on WhatsApp — anyone with your contact number can add you to a group.
Also read: QRLJacking: How scanning a wrong QR Code can compromise your WhatsApp
Featured Image by Rachit Tank
