WhatsApp is getting a new feature to protect your cell phone number from prying eyes.
Anyone who is often in larger WhatsApp group chats knows the problem: As soon as you write in this group, your own cell phone number is displayed openly for each participant. This is now being addressed in a new WhatsApp beta.
Stay anonymous in group chats
Except for admins, participants’ names are usually hidden from each other in a community chat.
However, if you react to a message in the group, your own cell phone number suddenly becomes visible to everyone, which means that anonymity is lost.
WABetaInfo reports on a new feature called Phone Number Privacy that appropriately protects your cell phone number from prying eyes.
If you activate the new function, a warning message is displayed first. This indicates that although you hide your number, group admins and people you have saved as a contact will still see it.
If you then want to contact a person who has hidden their number, you must first send a request.
If you are the administrator of the group, the function is not available to you. Only group members have access to these.
The new feature is currently only available to beta testers. It is not yet known when it will be rolled out to all users. However, one can assume that, as with past updates, the rollout will happen in waves, which is why not everyone will receive the feature at the same time.
Have you been waiting for this feature? Which one do you want most for WhatsApp or do you use another messenger app? Tell us in the comments!