WhatsApp is adding the ability to lock certain conversations to keep them from prying eyes.
In a blog post announcing the Chat Lock feature, the Meta-owned company says users will be able to add an extra layer of security to more intimate chats. Once you lock the thread you will keep that conversation in a separate folder, out of the inbox.
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The Locked Chats folder can only be accessed via biometrics or a device password. If a notification is received from a locked chat, the contents won’t appear in the preview.
The feature will be ideal if several people use the same device regularly, or you just happen to have prying eyes around you who like to dig into your chats when you hand them the phone to take a photo.
“We think this feature will be great for people who have reason to share their phones from time to time with a family member or those moments where someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra special chat arrives,” the blog post reads.
“You can lock a chat by tapping the name of a one-to-one or group and selecting the lock option. To reveal these chats, slowly pull down on your inbox and enter your phone password or biometric.”
Meta says more options will the added in the next few months, which will include locking your chats within companion devices as well as adding custom passwords.
From the video WhatsApp has posted showing the feature in action, Chat Lock will appear within the individual settings of a chat, and will ask you to confirm the lock within a fingerprint or a password.
The feature is rolling out now. You can see the pitch in the video below:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
