National, 27 December
2024: Marking
a decade of its commitment to user safety and privacy, WhatsApp has released
multiple features over the years to ensure a secure messaging experience for
everyone. Since the introduction of its first privacy feature – Read Receipts
in 2014 to the latest feature in 2024 – Group Context Card, WhatsApp has been
at the forefront of secure and private digital communication in today’s
digitally connected world.
WhatsApp’s features have empowered
users to take control of their privacy and safety, while staying connected with
loved ones and messaging their favourite businesses. In the last decade, the
platform has consistently innovated and added privacy-first features that
further strengthen and add to WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection. While End-to-End Encryption is the foundation of what keeps
calls and messages secure on WhatsApp, features like Disappearing Messages, Two-Step Verification, View-Once Media and Blocking and Reporting Mechanisms are all important
advancements that give people more control over how they use the app.
Earlier this year, WhatsApp hosted a
Privacy Showcase in India where global leaders underscored how the need for
private, intimate conversations was central to WhatsApp. During the showcase, Alice
Newton-Rex, VP Head of Product, WhatsApp said, “The need for private,
intimate conversations is and always will be central to WhatsApp – privacy is
at the core of everything we do, and it’s what continues to drive us as we
innovate and look to the future. With hundreds of millions of Indians using WhatsApp
to have private conversations with friends and family, and now businesses too,
we remain deeply committed to providing people with ultimate control over their
messaging experience and keeping them safe online.”
Innovations Beyond
Messaging
In 2024, WhatsApp took a significant
leap forward in innovation by integrating Meta AI, giving people the
option to explore AI as a natural extension of messaging if they choose.
India has emerged as the largest
market for Meta AI usage. With Meta AI now available in Hindi, it has given
Indian users more ways to use and interact with the technology. “Messaging
is likely to be a major way people interact with AI tools today and in the
future. At WhatsApp, we're working to ensure we incorporate this new technology
in a safe and secure way to create the best possible experience for our users,”
Alice Newton-Rex added during the Privacy Showcase.
Building on the list of innovative
features, WhatsApp recently launched Channels, which allows verified
organizations, fact-checkers and news outlets to share timely, credible updates
directly with users and provides a trustworthy source of information during
times of information overload.
Besides continuous product
innovations, over the years WhatsApp has consistently invested in
state-of-the-art technology, artificial intelligence, data scientists, experts,
and processes, to combat abuse on the platform and promote online security.
WhatsApp’s monthly safety reports highlight action taken by WhatsApp to ensure
user safety, including banning accounts engaging in suspicious or malicious
activities, spamming and other violations. In 2024 alone, WhatsApp banned 73.6
million violating accounts in India, proactively banning over 13.7
million accounts between January to October 2024.
|
PRIVACY & INNOVATION
FEATURES: A TIMELINE |
|
|
YEAR |
FEATURES |
|
2014 |
Read Receipts |
|
2016 |
End-to-End Encryption |
|
2017 |
Two Step Verification |
|
2019 |
Unlock via Face ID, Touch ID New Privacy Setting and Invite System for
Groups |
|
2020 |
Disappearing Messages |
|
2021 |
View Once for Photos and Videos End-to-end Encrypted Backups Message Level Reporting |
|
2022 |
Screenshot Blocking for View Once
Messages Leave Groups Silently Hidden Online Presence Code Verify Accidental Delete |
|
2023 |
Private Audience Selector for Status
Privacy Silence Unknown Callers Privacy Checkup WhatsApp Channels New Block and Report Contact Card Passkey Verification on Android |
|
2024 |
Group Context Card Passkey Verification on iOS Meta AI on WhatsApp |
'