Hide “last seen” WhatsApp status from specific contacts
WhatsApp will allow users to block specific contacts from viewing your information in a future update, WABetaInfo reported.
Currently, profile information is visible to everyone, your contacts, or no one, depending on your preference.
In a future update, WhatsApp users will be able to hide profile information such as “Profile Picture”, “Last Seen”, and “About” from specific contacts.
WABetaInfo released images of the iOS beta showing the option to hide “Last Seen” information from “My Contacts Except…” indicating that users can block specific contacts from viewing the information.
Notably, the system is reciprocal. If a user hides information from a specific contact, WhatsApp will hide their information in return.
The feature was depicted in the iOS beta, but according to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will release it for Android as well.
This flexibility in privacy settings comes after WhatsApp’s walked back plans to disconnect users who refuse to accept its new terms of service and privacy policy.
WhatsApp previously indicated that users who did not accept the updated terms of service would face more persistent requests, and ultimately have their app features limited.
According to WABetaInfo, the Facebook-owned messaging company has decided not to restrict user accounts that do not accept its updated terms.
Instead, users will only need to accept the terms of service if they wish to speak to business accounts that use cloud providers.
The Facebook-owned messaging platform has been under regulatory scrutiny over its handling of users’ private data.
It was fined €225 million (R4 billion) in the European Union earlier this month for failing to be transparent about how it handled personal information.