February 09, 2021
WhatsApp on Tuesday shared four ways a user can keep their chats "safe, secure and private".
WhatsApp's message came on #SaferInternetDay, on which the messaging platform renewed its commitment to users to protect their privacy.
The platform said that the first measure a user must take is to enable "two step verification", which is an "optional feature to add a PIN to your account" which keeps it "super duper secure".
It has shared a step-by-step video which can be followed to enable the feature.
The second step, after adding a PIN, is to input a recovery email address, in case the PIN needs to be reset.
WhatsApp also revealed that a user has full control over who can add them to groups.
Options include "everyone", contacts only or specific contacts which can be allowed to add you to groups.
More group privacy settings can be reviewed in detail here.
If you are being bombarded with messages from someone not in your contacts list, and if the messages look "spammy" or "suspicious", you can report it instantly. The option appears when you open the chat window. You can simply select the report option with the down vote button, as shown in the screenshot shared by WhatsApp.
Personal information can be set for viewing by everyone, contacts, or no one. This can be set for the profile picture, the "last seen" info and the "about info".
For details read this post on privacy by WhatsApp.
WhatsApp has also reminded everyone that their chats are completely private and no one can see them, not even the platform.