WhatsApp is working on a new 'close friends' feature for Status, similar to Instagram's Stories. This feature aims to give users greater control over who can view their status updates.
The feature allows users to create a custom list of their close friends. They can then send their status updates only to this list. This eliminates the need to change their privacy settings each time they post an update.
When posting a status update, users will see a special 'close friends' button. The chosen contacts will be able to access the update, while others won’t be notified or even know that restricted sharing was used. Unlike Instagram, WhatsApp will keep the feature more discreet, not using any colored rings or labels.
This feature is designed for users with many contacts in their phonebook. They often refrain from posting personal updates and maintain a mixed contact list that includes both colleagues and friends. WhatsApp aims to solve this problem with the new feature.
The app has been introducing privacy-oriented features in recent updates.
When Instagram introduced Features, it became an instant hit, and soon other apps started adopting the idea. According to reports, WhatsApp’s ‘close friends’ feature is still undergoing testing and development.
A full-scale launch is expected following the initial test phase. However, there is no official announcement of the launch date yet. The ‘close friends’ feature could promote more usage of status updates by giving users an easier way of sharing, without the fear of informing all their contacts.
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