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I’ve always wanted this feature. Not really for privacy reasons but because I send lots of screenshots or photos that are only meant to provide some context or information about something and don’t want to keep taking up space on my phone or my friends’.
 
Self destruct....how nice! Now WhatsApp knows exactly which images to save forever on their servers. How convenient!

'Member when Facebook was beta testing a feature where you'd send them your nudes so they could scan and block others from posting your nudes as revenge porn? I 'member.

 
Settle down everyone! The self-destruct feature is so that the intended recipient does not have access to it for longer than intended by the sender. It would be stupid for any company to destroy any data on their end that could be used for marketing/revenue generating purposes. Whether they *actually* destroy it or not, we're not going to know for certain so no use debating that.
 
WhatsApp User 1: Do you remember that self-destruct picture I sent last week?

WhatsApp User 2: No, I don’t.

WhatsApp User 1: *resend picture as self-destruct*

WhatsApp User 2: Listen if you don’t feel comfortable sending this picture and have to have it self-destruct, why are you sharing it.

WhatsApp User 1: I don’t want my contacts to save and/or share my pictures.

WhatsApp User 2: If you don’t trust those contacts then don’t share a picture, it’s as simple as that and limit watching Mission Impossible movies.

WhatsApp User 1: *confused as to why this contact does not feel that their cannot be trusted*
It’s not the only use self destruct has. Maybe we get to have our camera roll clutter free.
 
What's the point? backups in CLEARTEXT on iCloud or Google's servers.

I don't share nudes since guys can't handle this woman!
 
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It’s not the only use self destruct has. Maybe we get to have our camera roll clutter free.
The option is available to restrict access to photos/camera roll or manual delete a photo that was shared with you. The point being it’s about trust. If you don’t trust a particular contract don’t send pictures you may regret. If it’s a vengeful partner that’s another problem for which text messaging apps have no business.
 
Settle down everyone! The self-destruct feature is so that the intended recipient does not have access to it for longer than intended by the sender. It would be stupid for any company to destroy any data on their end that could be used for marketing/revenue generating purposes. Whether they *actually* destroy it or not, we're not going to know for certain so no use debating that.
Head in the ground mentality, got it nothing to see here as Fb/WA can be trusted especially to help small business’. /s
 
I’ve always wanted this feature. Not really for privacy reasons but because I send lots of screenshots or photos that are only meant to provide some context or information about something and don’t want to keep taking up space on my phone or my friends’.
You do know that you can restrict access to the camera roll or delete anything you as the receiver deem unnecessary right.

It’s like when I write someone special a letter or card and ask them to burn it after reading it, what it says to the recipient is that guess what I don’t trust you to keep it private. Now if that person uses it in a vengeful manner and makes fun of you then you have your answer, that person is not worth your time.
 
The option is available to restrict access to photos/camera roll or manual delete a photo that was shared with you. The point being it’s about trust. If you don’t trust a particular contract don’t send pictures you may regret. If it’s a vengeful partner that’s another problem for which text messaging apps have no business.
I know, but the point is also precisely not to have to manually delete them. I’d rather prefer all whatsapp images went to a separate folder, though.

I don’t send pictures to people I don’t trust, not much of a reason for me on that front.
 
This is obviously targeted at one particular type of private image sharing which never ends well.

I don't see, as an iOS App developer, how you can prevent iOS taking a screenshot from your App.
You can detect a screenshot has been taken. It's very simple to do.

That would make for an awkward situation wouldn't it?
Imagine WhatsApp telling your girlfriend you just took a screenshot of that last, self destruct, image she sent you.
;)
 
I know, but the point is also precisely not to have to manually delete them. I’d rather prefer all whatsapp images went to a separate folder, though.

I don’t send pictures to people I don’t trust, not much of a reason for me on that front.

Have not used WA since I deleted my account early Feb of this year but I believe if you select a particular contact and view photos you can either delete all or select which ones you prefer. Maybe an option that places the receiver to delete a photo from a particular contact after a timeframe. Basically the reverse of this function which gives the recipient not the sender the option.
 
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This is obviously targeted at one particular type of private image sharing which never ends well.

I don't see, as an iOS App developer, how you can prevent iOS taking a screenshot from your App.
You can detect a screenshot has been taken. It's very simple to do.

That would make for an awkward situation wouldn't it?
Imagine WhatsApp telling your girlfriend you just took a screenshot of that last, self destruct, image she sent you.
;)
If someone is drunk enough to set/places a self-destruct timer on a raunchy or questionable photo or video that person knows very well what the intent is before hitting the send button.
 
If someone is drunk enough to set/places a self-destruct timer on a raunchy or questionable photo or video that person knows very well what the intent is before hitting the send button.
I think you're missing my point. The promise of "self destruct" is likely to tempt normally cautious, and averse to the risk, sender of raunchy photos to give it a go in the mis-placed belief that it's safe and won't come back to haunt them.
Naivety and technology have always gone hand in hand.
 
Only a small fraction of my friends use it and none of my absolutely closest friends do. I used to use it with a couple friends but the desktop app as trash; If I didn't access the web app for a few days, it would force me to download ALL messages since the last login before I could start chatting again. STUPID. Really effing stupid. For an app that takes pride in privacy, why the hell would it do THAT where all of your data needed to be downloaded? Whatsapp is way better and only needs the last dozen or so messages.. which makes sense, you only need the latest few for context... but you can scroll up to see older messages.

In any case, Signal would be my choice after Whatsapp.
 
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