WhatsApp will hide your ‘last seen’ status from strangers by default

WhatsApp is carrying out a new privacy measure that stows away your “last seen” status from individuals you don’t have a clue or haven’t chatted with in the app (through WABetaInfo). Beforehand, WhatsApp set the feature on “Everyone” by default, permitting anybody on WhatsApp to see your status. WhatsApp’s new update restricts the visibility of your status to individuals you’ve added on the platform, and sets the feature to “My Contacts” by default instead.

In a post on Twitter, a client clarifies that you will most likely be unable to see others’ statuses with the platform any longer, and furthermore incorporates an email from what gives off an impression of being WhatsApp support that portrays the new feature. “We’re making it harder for people you don’t know and haven’t chatted with from seeing your last seen and online presence on WhatsApp,” the email reads.

The “My Contacts” option for your “last seen” status was at that point accessible, yet it’s never been the default on the application. It’s likewise significant that WhatsApp as of now has “Nobody” option too, keeping all clients from seeing your status. Your status on WhatsApp tells different contacts when you were online last, or then again assuming you’re right now utilizing the application. While this might appear to be an innocuous method for monitoring your loved ones (as well as the other way around), WABetaInfo brings up that some third-party apps really exploit this feature.

These applications can total the statuses with specific clients, which might enable some to keep excessively close of an eye on others using the platform. Turning on the “My Contacts” options prevents third-party apps from logging your online status, as an application isn’t viewed as one of your contacts, and consequently, it will not have the option to see your status.

This isn’t the main change WhatsApp is making to its “last seen” status. In November, WABetaInfo found that the informing application started testing a choice, called “My Contacts Except … which allows clients to conceal their status from specific contacts. WhatsApp has additionally been attempting to support client security by acquainting an option with making its disappearing messaging feature the default.