WhatsApp: New update prevents users from taking screenshots

The Meta-owned messaging platform, WhatsApp, is going to start blocking users from taking screenshots or screen recordings of messages that are sent as ‘View Once’. This is according to a report from WABetaInfo, which is an online platform that tracks new features and updates on WhatsApp.

As a result, when someone tries to take a screenshot, a message will pop up saying ‘This screenshot was blocked for added privacy.’ Similarly all recordings of videos will be blocked if they have been sent as ‘View Once’.

View Once

The ‘View Once’ feature was introduced earlier this year. It allows users to send photos or videos that are automatically deleted once the recipient has opened it. This of course is rendered useless if the recipient has the ability to screenshot the image or video and so it is this that the company is addressing.

As such, screen recording to ‘View Once’ images and videos are blocked by default. However, it is still possible to take screenshots of conversations - it is only blocked for images and videos. Whilst it is blocked, the sender is not notified of the screenshot attempt.

Caution

It is important to remember that even with all these measures in place, it is always possible for a recipient to take a photo of their phone’s screen with another device and so no measure is fool proof.

The feature is currently only available to Android beta users and the tech giant has not announced when it will be rolled out to everyone yet. WABetaInfo reports,

This feature has been released to some beta testers that use an updated beta build from TestFlight, and it will be rolled out to more users over the coming weeks.

This report comes at the same time as news that WhatsApp users will also be able to create polls in group chats in the future. This is something they have been working on for a while and will be available with the new WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.21.16 update.

Sources Used:

- WABetaInfo'WhatsApp beta for iOS 22.21.0.71: what’s new?'

- The Economic Times 'WhatsApp to roll out feature blocking users from taking screenshot of photos, videos sent as 'View Once'

- Mint ' WhatsApp rolls out feature to block screenshot for view once messages'

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⋙ WhatsApp: You could soon be able to save deleted text messages

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