WhatsApp Brings New Strict Account Settings For Better Data Privacy: How It Works

WhatsApp has launched a new security feature ahead of Data Privacy Day this week. The messaging app is offering a new advanced layer of protection of people who are susceptible to high-profile cyber attacks.

This is a new lockdown-style security option from WhatsApp that will restrict access to your important data on the device and account and stop unknown contacts from misusing or exploiting them.

WhatsApp Strict Account Settings: What Is It And How To Set Up 

WhatsApp has made it as easy as enabling the feature via a toggle button and you don’t need any advanced encryption keys to activate the new settings. “If you turn this on, certain account settings will lock to the most restrictive settings, and it will limit how your WhatsApp works in some ways, like blocking attachments and media from people not in your contacts,” WhatsApp has mentioned in its post. 

Most of the spyware attacks focus on accessing or stealing important files from the victim’s device, so having this setting could be really helpful for the targeted audience for this release. 

WhatsApp says anyone will be able to enable the Strict Account Settings with the follow steps: 

• Go to Settings
• Tap on Privacy
• Click on Advanced and enable the new feature

WhatsApp is rolling out the feature gradually and most people should get it over the coming weeks. 

In addition to the new feature, WhatsApp has mentioned its work on another big security upgrade with the help of a programming language called Rust which can protect your photos, videos and even messages for spyware intrusion which will be heavily integrated into WhatsApp and other Meta apps over the coming years. 

The platform also faces a new era as Meta eyes a premium version of WhatsApp and Instagram for users with access to exclusive features. The company has confirmed about its plans via a TechCrunch report, and highlighted that the paid version will be different from the Verified plan and cater to users with exclusive features that won’t be available to everyone on these platforms. 

Meta has been experimenting with different models as it looks to monetise the user base on these apps, and with the AI integration getting deeper, the scope for premium versions have only gotten better.