WhatsApp Users To Get This Killer New Feature: Heres How It Works – Forbes

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It looks like WhatsApp will soon add some serious security changes to its messaging app, now used by 2 billion people worldwide, as it strives to fend off competition from other platforms seen as being more secure. WhatsApp has always positioned itself as a security and privacy champion, and so this comes as little surprise. All that said, given WhatsApps scale, such changes have a huge impact.

Last year, reports emerged that the Facebook-owned messaging giant was testing disappearing or self-destructing messages for Group Chats. The platforms sister app, Facebook Messenger, has had the functionality for some time within its so-called secret conversations,, meaning theyre end-to-end encrypted.

Now, according WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is stepping up plans to launch the functionality some time soon. As GSMArena explains, in two beta versions of the app, the option to set self-destructing messages in private chats can be found. The app versions are2.20.83and2.20.84and you can choose the expiry period of the messages between one hour, one day, one week, one month or one year.

With a timer set, users can see a clock icon which warns them that the message will disappear, providing an indication of how long remains. There is no confirmation as to the timing of the launch of the new functionality, or whether other security protections such as reporting screenshots or preventing text-copying will be added as part of this shift to more secure endpoint functionality.

Disappearing messages.

WhatsApp does not compete with Messenger, they are from the same stable after all. But it does compete with Signal, which is getting more traction in the market and has recently confirmed its plans to become more mainstream. Ironically, Signals shift into WhatsApp territory has been helped by an investment from departed WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton.

Signal is starting to encroach on WhatsApp territory, which had been the secure message platform of choice for businesses, government officials and other groups for anything other than officially restricted data. Recently we have seen the EU mandate Signal as an alternative to WhatsApp, citing security considerations, although for the EUs diplomatic staff, even Signal is not secure enough.

Signal operates a much more secure client-side app than WhatsApp, with security prioritized over ease of functionality. So much so that even transferring chat history to a new phone is tricky on an Android and impossible on an iPhone. WhatsApp uses its own version of Signals open-source security protocol to protect WhatsApp chats, but Signals version remains open-source and so is seen as being more secure. Signal offers a disappearing message function for every chat.

Signal

It has been a difficult 12-months for WhatsApp on the security front. The platform that has done more to promote end-to-end security for the masses than anyone else has been hit with reports ofnation-state attacks,malicious media filesand the risk of a backdoor tolock out targeted individuals out. In this WhatsApp has become a victim of its own success. When attackers are looking for new vulnerabilities, a ubiquitous applike WhatsApp or Facebookprovides a likely access point onto most phones if an exploit can be found. That goes with the territory.

Beefing up security will not help WhatsApp, or Signal for that matter, defend the latest moves by the U.S. government to undermine end-to-end encryption, allowing law enforcement access to private chats. Disappearing messages will not help a plug gaps in the encryption armour. And so while WhatsApp beefs up its security, the real battle looks like being with lawmakers not other platforms.

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WhatsApp Users To Get This Killer New Feature: Heres How It Works - Forbes