WhatsApp to introduce ‘after reading’ feature for enhanced privacy

WEB DESK: WhatsApp is set to introduce a new privacy feature aimed at further securing users’ sensitive messages.

According to reports, the messaging platform is currently testing an advanced feature under which messages will be automatically deleted after being read. The initiative is intended to provide users with greater control over their private conversations and to strengthen the protection of sensitive information.

Sources indicate that the feature, titled “After Reading,” is still in the development phase and is expected to be rolled out in upcoming updates. Under this feature, once a recipient opens and reads a message, it will automatically disappear from the chat after a short duration.

Furthermore, messages that remain unopened will also be deleted automatically after a specified period, helping to prevent the accumulation of unnecessary or unread messages.

Notably, the feature is expected to function even when read receipts are turned off, as the application will be able to detect when a message has been opened and initiate the deletion process accordingly.

While WhatsApp already offers disappearing messages with various time intervals, this new feature is likely to be particularly beneficial for users sharing sensitive information, such as one-time passwords or personal data, for a limited time.

Overall, this development reflects WhatsApp’s ongoing efforts to enhance user privacy, improve data security, and make digital communication more secure and reliable. However, the feature is still under development and may take some time before it is officially released.