New WhatsApp Feature for Pics & Vids

WhatsApp has launched its brand new ‘View Once’ feature that lets users exchange auto-vanishing photos and videos. The feature deletes pictures and videos from your chats (without saving them to your device) soon after you view them. According to the Facebook-owned messaging app, the new tool is on a mission to make users’ conversations even more protected and private. Keep reading for more details on the topic.

WhatsApp adds that the new tool could be useful for a variety of needs that definitely exclude, say, exchanging nudes or sharing your WiFi password with someone. Still and all, we’d like to remind you that just because your sent media will vanish after the recipient opens them, that doesn’t mean someone won’t take a screenshot, screen recording, or a picture using another phone (without you ever knowing). Therefore, make sure you only send auto-vanishing pics and vids to someone you trust. Also, bear in mind that while your auto-vanishing media can’t be viewed more than once, it may be stored on the company’s servers ‘for several weeks’ after being sent.

The feature has just been rolled out, but it has already sparked growing concern that disappearing messages could aid in covering evidence of child sexual abuse among child protection organizations. Before that, some of these organizations have also expressed their disagreement with WhatsApp’s parent company Facebook regarding the implementation of encrypted messaging. As for the disappearing media, the feature will reportedly prevent the police from finding the evidence in the seized-during-raids gadgets.

So, what are your thoughts on the new WhatsApp feature? Do you think it could be something you might use often? Does the controversial side of the coin sound reasonable to you? Make the most of the comment box below to share your opinion on the topic. Your two cents matter so much to us.