Meta-owned messaging platform, WhatsApp, has announced two new features for disappearing messages- default disappearing messages and multiple durations.
The new features are meant to provide users with more control and enhance privacy.
“We are excited to provide our users with more options to control their messages and how long they stick around, with default disappearing messages and multiple durations,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.
Also read: WhatsApp launches Incubator programme to support organisations
With this, WhatsApp users will now have the option to turn on disappearing messages by default for all new chats.
When enabled, all new one-on-one chats started by the user or another person starts will be set to disappear at their chosen duration. The platform has also added a new option when creating a group chat that lets users turn it on for groups they create.
“This new feature is optional and does not change or delete any of your existing chats,” it said.
It is also adding two new durations for disappearing messages. With this users have the option to set the messages to disappear after 24 hours and 90 days, as well as the existing option of 7 days.
For users who choose to switch on default disappearing messages, it will display a message in their chats that tells people this is the default they have chosen.
“This makes clear it’s nothing personal – it’s a choice you’ve made about how you want to communicate with everyone on WhatsApp moving forward. Though of course, if you need a particular conversation to remain permanent, it’s easy to switch a chat back,” it said.
“We believe disappearing messages along with end-to-end encryption are two crucial features that define what it means to be a private messaging service today, and bring us one step closer to the feeling of an in-personal conversation,” it further said.
To get started, users can select ‘Default Message Timer’ from their Privacy settings.
