WhatsApp Announces One-Way Broadcast 'Channels' for Following People and Organizations

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp today introduced Channels, a feed-style one-way broadcast service coming to the popular chat platform where admins can send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls to followers.

WhatsApp calls Channels "a simple, reliable, and private way to receive important updates from people and organizations," and cites hobbies, sports teams, and updates from local authorities as examples.

The personal information of admins is kept hidden from followers, so things like phone number and photo profile aren't shown. Likewise, following a channel won't reveal your phone number to the admin or other followers. Admins will also have the option to block screenshots and forwards from their channel.

WhatsApp says it is building a directory where channels can be discovered, and you can also get to a channel from an invite link. Admins can decide who can follow their channel and whether they want it to be listed in the directory or not.

Channels can be found in a new tab called Updates, where your Status and any channels you follow will live, separate from your chats inbox.

Notably, channels aren't end-to-end encrypted by default, but WhatsApp is exploring it as a future option. Channel history stays on WhatsApp's servers for up to 30 days, and the Meta-owned company says it will add ways to make updates disappear even faster from followers' devices.

To begin with, WhatsApp is bringing Channels to Colombia and Singapore in association with "leading global organizations and select organizations," with more countries to gain channel creation "in the coming months."

Article Link: WhatsApp Announces One-Way Broadcast 'Channels' for Following People and Organizations

 

[Kylo83]

Just leave WhatsApp for what it does best, we don’t need bloatware also the macOS Apple silicon has been in beta for over a year just release it

 

[Reason077]

WhatsApp is great. But I'm starting to worry about what Meta might be planning for its future as they seem to be gradually pointing it in the direction of becoming another Twitter/Facebook-style social network. I just hope that Apple and Google can come together on iMessage interoperability and give WhatsApp some serious competition before Zuck gets too carried away...

 

[fanboy-ish]

I want that feature Apple announced in Messages, the one that lets you transcribe voice notes without listening to them... or just blocking voice notes altogether.

 

[Darth-Kylie]

This is good if you live in a place where companies already use the service as an convenient way of reaching customer support. Take GDPR, for example. Make companies obliged to broadcast warnings of security breaches and the need to change passwords. Similarly, railway operators could inform travellers about major delays and such. Same with product recalls. I shouldn’t have to visit a branch of a retailer to find out some foodstuff or other product is a danger to me or my family. Oblige retailers to use services like this to inform the largest number of people possible, as quickly as possible, of important things like this. My only concern is that these messages would be grouped in a single area of the app – a nested group or a separate tab from personal conversations.

 

[orbital~debris]

Making the platform more 'sticky'.

I would love it if this wasn't the default comms app in the UK. Just having two 'standard' platforms (one of them, ideally, Apple) would be better.

 

[Reason077]

I want that feature Apple announced in Messages, the one that lets you transcribe voice notes without listening to them... or just blocking voice notes altogether.

Blocking voice messages generally would be a very bad feature.

I can appreciate they can be annoying if unsolicited or malicious, but so can any text/picture message. To block voice messages specifically would go against accessibility principles: they can be vital if someone can't type or read their screen for some reason. A friend recently had eye surgery, for example, and couldn't read his screen or type easily for several days. Voice messages were a great way for him to stay in touch while he recovered.

Transcribing them automatically sounds like a great solution, however!

 

[wbeasley]

Great, another notification to deal with... more noise to your day....

 

[iCyprus]

I moved to telegram and I am satisfied. imessage and telegram do the work!!

 

[fanboy-ish]

Blocking voice messages generally would be a very bad feature.

I can appreciate they can be annoying if unsolicited or malicious, but so can any text/picture message. To block voice messages specifically would go against accessibility principles: they can be vital if someone can't type or read their screen for some reason. A friend recently had eye surgery, for example, and couldn't read his screen or type easily for several days. Voice messages were a great way for him to stay in touch while he recovered.

Transcribing them automatically sounds like a great solution, however!

That's true, I've never thought it that way, thanks!

Then, let's hope they end up copying Apple!

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I moved to telegram and I am satisfied. imessage and telegram do the work!!

I agree - but try to tell (older) family members that are firmly in camp Android and WhatsApp that.
Can't really cut them off because they won't switch to iPhone or use telegram.

 

[0339327]

Who is hated more than Elan Musk?
Mark Zuckerberg.

WhatsApp will never replace Twitter because people already resent how reliant they are on Meta’s platforms.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

A change I would really like to see in WhatsApp is the removal of that silly limitation of devices I can use with the same account.
It used to be 4 (and officially still might be) but I haven't been able to add a fourth device in months now.

 

[krspkbl]

People need to stop using WhatsApp.

Every time I see Facebook say they care about Privacy I have a little chuckle. How cute of them! Do they think we're stupid? Facebook and Privacy do NOT go together.

With the other news coming out today about Instagram.... maybe it's time people ditch any Facebook products. Disgusting company that needs to disappear for good.

 

[moodler]

WhatsApp seriously sucks in many ways and I don't know why I'm seeing news about it on this site.

 

[Gnik Nus]

This is the beginning of the end for WhatsApp. And I won't shed a tear.

 

[Feek]

In before 'where's the iPad app'

 

[tomtad]

I assume this is their way of monetising WhatsApp. I'm not sure currently how they make any money though it

 

[LFO8]

People need to stop using WhatsApp.

Every time I see Facebook say they care about Privacy I have a little chuckle. How cute of them! Do they think we're stupid? Facebook and Privacy do NOT go together.

With the other news coming out today about Instagram.... maybe it's time people ditch any Facebook products. Disgusting company that needs to disappear for good.

Indeed.. I’m not touching anything related to Meta/Zuckerberg no matter if everyone else uses it or not.

 

[Kirkster]

In before 'where's the iPad app'

And the Web App is a poor substitute.

 

[iCyprus]

I agree - but try to tell (older) family members that are firmly in camp Android and WhatsApp that.
Can't really cut them off because they won't switch to iPhone or use telegram.

I have the same prob with older family members and friends. 😅

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Looks like meta is trying to leverage the user base there and turn it into another Facebook.

 

[icanhazmac]

One way channels... oh you mean ads, got it.

 

[LiE_]

I can see a use for it, we already try to do this to an extent with our business. Customers who want to receive deals/news/discounts opt to join our WhatsApp blast group, but it has limitations. This would replace and improve what we currently have.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Ergh slowly but surely becoming a social network

And the worst part is, I won't be able to block this one, since most people use WhatsApp . At least with Facebook I've been able to block it entirely with DNS