WhatsApp has become the most popular instant messaging app in India, with over 200 million monthly active users. WhatsApp is continuously in improving the app by adding new features such as video calling and stickers. After WhatsApp was widely criticized over the spread of fake news and misinformation, currently WhatsApp has increased its focus on improving its security and privacy features.
Whatsapp Security Features
In the last year, WhatsApp has added multiple new features such as the forwarded label, fact-check to suspicious link detection. Recently WhatsApp has also revealed that per month the company is banning over 2 million accounts for abusing the platform. Meanwhile, WhatsApp is fixing the spam and fake news problem, we bring you the top privacy and security features of WhatsApp that every user must know.
Two-step verification
In order to add another layer of security to your account, two-step verification is the easiest way as done by Google and Facebook. For WhatsApp, it helps you verify your account through a six-digit PIN that you create using the feature.
To enable two-step verification in WhatsApp, the users need to follow the steps viz. Settings > Account > Two-step verification > Enable.
In case you forget the six-digit PIN, you also have the option to enter your email address which can be used to retrieve the same.
Protecting WhatsApp profile photos
Facebook has a screen-guard feature that notifies users when someone copies or takes a screenshot of their profile photos but WhatsApp doesn’t have such feature. But in order to protect their profile photo, WhatsApp users can change the settings to ensure their profile photo is only visible to their contacts. To do so you can follow the steps: Go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Photos > Choose between “Everyone”, “My Contacts” and “Nobody.”
Reporting, blocking and more
In order to avoid receiving spams, you need to follow the steps as given. Open the chat, tap on the sender name (individual or group) to open their profile. Scroll to the bottom and tap “Report Contact” or “Report group”. Another option is that either you can also block the number or you can exit the group that is sending spam.
Security notifications
By enabling the feature, it alerts the users when a contact’s security code has changed. According to WhatsApp’s website, “Security codes are just visible versions of the special key shared between you and don’t worry, it’s not the actual key itself, that’s always kept secret. At times, the security codes used in end-to-end encryption might change. This is likely because you or your contact reinstalled WhatsApp or changed phones.”
In order to activate this feature, open the app on your phone. Go to Settings > tap on Account > Security > toggle the button to “Show Security Notifications.”
Note that WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption regardless of this setting.
Contact Grievance Officer for India
Last year, WhatsApp has appointed its first-ever grievance officer for India. Now, the instant messaging company allows users to report their complaints or concern directly to the officer. To contact the officer, you need to send an email with your report or complaint and sign in with an electronic signature. In order to submit your concerns regarding your account, you will have to provide your full phone number in international format (+91 for India). You can write to the officer via post as well.
Request Account info
WhatsApp allows its users to download and export all their account data. After requesting, the messaging app provides the full data in about three days. Tap on Settings > Account > Request account info.
Once the account information is available for download, you will receive a notification. Open Settings > Account > Request account info > Download report. A ZIP file will be downloaded on your devices.
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