WhatsApp issues eye-catching multi-layer lock privacy ad; take a look

In its latest campaign to prioritise user privacy, WhatsApp is trying to send out a clear message to Indian consumers through newspapers on its interlocking layers of protection that offer more privacy and control over personal conversations while using the app. The Indian edition of the global campaign on user privacy has been designed by BBDO India.

The print advertisement shows a lock with multilayers, which indicates WhatsApp’s five basic features: End-to-End Encryption, Online Presence, Leave Groups Silently, Two-step Verification, and Block and Report. The advertisement has appeared in most prominent Indian dailies.

Though some of the features have been there for years now, the advertisement mainly focuses on the built-in layers of privacy protections, along with the three newly added features: leaving groups silently, controlling who can see when you’re online, and screenshot blocking for ‘view once’ messages.  

Close look at features

Last month, WhatsApp introduced some privacy features such as how a user can restrict people from taking screenshots of a photo or video with the help of pre-existing “view-once” feature, leaving groups silently, and controlling who all can see when online.  

These features mainly offer interlocking layers of security and better control over one’s information/messages shared on WhatsApp. A look at the features:  

Leave groups without notifying

A user can leave groups without notifying other group members, except the admin. The feature was introduced at the end of August.

Also read: Meta to soon introduce paid features on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp

Online without being seen

This new feature will allow you to choose and pick contacts who can see you online while using the messaging app.  

Blocking screenshot with the view once messages

Experts and users have rated the ‘View Once’ feature as a powerful feature to share multimedia without a permanent digital record. Recently, WhatsApp has introduced screenshot blocking for the “view once” message, which will add to the security of the user.  

Focus on User Privacy

Earlier this month, Whatsapp parent company Meta said it has 2.3 million Indian accounts in July on the pretext of violating guidelines and norms. Of this, 1.4 million accounts were proactively blocked by the messaging app, and the rest were reported by the users. 

Also read: How to make payments through UPI on WhatsApp; 4-step guide

The above information is part of WhatsApp’s compliance report that is published every month in accordance with the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

User privacy has been a big issue in most countries and almost big tech companies and social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter, have been criticized for breaching user privacy. Many countries, like India, and the UK, have been trying to introduce new technological legislations, to protect user data and privacy.