WhatsApp is rolling out a feature (which was seen in its iOS beta version in late February) to Android beta testers that will allow users to report status updates.
WABetaInfo reports that Google Play Beta Program users will see a new “Report” action within the status options on WhatsApp, thanks to version 2.23.5.9.
This feature will enable users to report any status update that potentially violates the company’s Terms of Service. Such reports will be forwarded to WhatsApp’s moderation team for review.
The addition of this functionality does not compromise encryption. Messages, media, location information, calls and status updates are still protected by end-to-end encryption on all devices. This technically means no one else including WhatsApp, Meta or a proxy provider can read users’ personal messages or listen in on their private calls.
Another feature that has been added is the option to mute notifications from WhatsApp. Although this was introduced way back in 2017, the mute button only pops up when the user is facing a barrage of messages from an individual or group. The latest update that is being tested presents the mute option at all times.
Before this, version 2.23.5.8 was seen rolling out a private newsletter tool. It’s still a work-in-progress and is expected to be useful for advertising, branding and broadcasting purposes. The entity issuing the newsletter will not be able to view the identities of the people subscribing to it. Neither will users be able to see who is following who.
