WhatsApp is extensively rolling out rolling out improved privateness controls to customers. The options permit customers granular management over their privateness settings, to specify who can see their final seen, about, and profile picture on the messaging app. They have been noticed in improvement final yr, after which Meta-owned messaging service started to roll out the characteristic to beta testers. The privateness enhancements come days after the corporate introduced that it was including assist for transferring chats from a smartphone operating Android to an iPhone.

The rollout of the granular privateness controls was announced by WhatsApp on Twitter on Thursday. These modifications apply to WhatsApp’s privateness settings for final seen, about, and profile picture sections. Users will be capable to choose particular contacts from their tackle guide to cover components — or all — of their profile, in response to WhatsApp. The messaging service has additionally up to date its ceaselessly requested questions (FAQ) part on its website with the brand new privateness settings.

The granular privateness settings have been beforehand noticed by a characteristic tracker in April
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

Previously, customers on Android and iOS would see three settings — Everyone, My Contacts, and Nobody underneath the privateness settings for About, Last Seen and Profile Photo. Now, a fourth choice My Contacts Except… has been added, permitting customers to pick out some contacts from their tackle guide and conceal components of their profile from them. Others within the consumer’s contacts ought to be capable to view their WhatsApp profile usually.

The granular privateness controls can turn out to be useful for WhatsApp customers who’ve added contacts that they don’t wish to share their private data with. Previously, customers must take away an individual from their contacts to forestall their profile picture, final seen, and about from being proven to particular customers, or block them, or set their visibility setting to “Nobody” within the settings. The new privateness setting lets customers shortly create a ‘blacklist’ of types to cover sections of your profile from particular customers.

Earlier this week, WhatsApp additionally introduced that it was rolling out beta assist for the flexibility to switch chats from an Android smartphone to an iPhone. The messaging service launched the flexibility to switch chats from iOS to an Android smartphone final yr. However, WhatsApp additionally revealed that customers must fulfil sure necessities to switch their chats, chat historical past, and media from an Android to an iPhone, together with downloading the Move to iOS app and utilizing a manufacturing facility reset or new iPhone to finish the method.