[ad_1]
WhatsApp will soon have a disappearing messages feature, designed to allow users of the chat app to reduce their fingerprint.
Once the update, which will be rolled out from Thursday, hits phones, users will be able to configure an option for each individual chat they are in, either one-on-one or in a group, to automatically delete messages for seven days after they have been issued.
Unlike some competitors, such as the secure messaging app Signal, WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, decided not to offer flexibility to users. There is no option to change the amount of time messages are stored, for example; and the service also removes images and videos posted.
“We started with seven days because we believe it provides the peace of mind that the conversations are not permanent, while still being practical so that you don’t forget what you were chatting about,” the company says in a blog post. “The shopping list or store address you received a few days ago will be there for as long as you need it and then disappear when you don’t.
“While it’s great to preserve the memories of friends and family, most of what we send doesn’t have to last forever. Our goal is to make WhatsApp conversations feel as close to in-person conversations as possible, which means they shouldn’t have to stick around forever. “
Tapping
Disappearing messages can be enabled by tapping the chat name at the top of the screen and scrolling down to a new “disappearing messages” option to activate it. Doing so does not delete older messages, and any member of a chat can turn the setting on or off, although in a group chat only admins have control.
As with other disappearing message options, users should trust their friends. There is nothing to stop the other party in a chat from taking screenshots or forwarding messages that you want to save for later.
The new feature comes a month after WhatsApp launched a shopping service, integrating with Facebook more closely than ever. Users will now be able to message a business in the app, browse a catalog of items for sale, and complete a purchase, all without leaving WhatsApp. The feature will also generate much-needed revenue for the business as WhatsApp will eventually start charging businesses for using its business tools.
Showcase
Stores that already have a presence on Facebook will also be able to operate directly on WhatsApp, without the need to configure a second store. But that means that, for the first time, WhatsApp users might find that their activities in the chat application feed their advertising profile on Facebook itself.
“When a person interacts with a Facebook store, Facebook will use those interactions and the data about them,” said Matt Idema, WhatsApp’s chief operating officer. “That includes things like the products you are browsing and the items you can select or add to purchase.” – Guardian
[ad_2]