A new safety overview will appear when you're added to unfamiliar groups by unknown contacts.
Scam warnings are being tested in private chats with people outside your contact list.
WhatsApp urges users to verify suspicious messages and take time before responding.
WhatsApp has been consistently working on user security over the past few years. The Meta-owned instant messaging platform has now introduced new features with an aim to help users spot and avoid any fraudulent activity on the platform. Additionally, the company has also removed over 6.8 million accounts linked to criminal scam centers
SurveyAmid the growing concerns and how scammers are using the platform to con people, WhatsApp is introducing new in-app tools for both group and individual chats to help users make safer choices.
For group chats, the company has announced a safety overview prompt that appears when a user is added to a group by someone who is not on their contact list. This alert pop-up will provide key context, such as whether the group admin or any participants are already saved in their contacts, as well as safety tips. Importantly, notifications for such groups will remain muted until the user explicitly chooses to stay.
“We’re launching a new safety overview that we’ll show you when someone who is not in your contacts adds you to a new WhatsApp group you may not recognize. It will include key information about the group and tips to stay safe,” the company stated in a blog post.
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In individual chats, the platform is testing new scam warnings that will appear when users initiate a conversation with someone not in their contact list. These warnings will provide additional context, with the goal of making users pause before engaging with potential scammers, a tactic increasingly used by scammers who approach victims on other platforms before switching to WhatsApp.
To help users stay safe, WhatsApp advises pausing before replying to unusual messages, verifying requests, especially those involving money, and using alternative communication methods to confirm someone’s identity if they claim to be a friend or family member.
Additionally, the company has also confirmed that it will introduce new features to ensure safety of the users on the platform.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
