WhatsApp Working on View-Once Text Messages for iPhone

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp is working on a way to let users send text messages that can only be viewed once, similar to the feature already available for photos, videos, and voice notes.

According to WABetaInfo, after typing a message in the chat bar, users will be able to select a new "Send as view once" option by long-pressing the Send button. When the message is sent, the recipient will be able to open the message once and read it before it disappears.

This means that the recipient will not be able to copy, forward, or share the message after receiving it. WhatsApp will also block screenshots and screen recordings to prevent the content from being preserved in any form.

The feature, which is still in development, is said to be coming to individual chats and groups, but it won't be available in channels, where ephemeral messages aren't suitable. WhatsApp is also developing the feature for Android phones.

WABetaInfo notes that the new feature will be welcomed by users who currently use a workaround by adding text to an image and sending it as view-once media.

The option follows another feature that appeared in beta a few weeks ago that causes disappearing messages to vanish based on a countdown that starts only after they've been read. The feature has yet to roll out more broadly.

Article Link: WhatsApp Working on View-Once Text Messages for iPhone

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

I think anything that someone sends you directly like a DM should be there at least 24 hours because imagine someone sends something very important and it gets deleted right away if you step aside from the App to answer a phone call or something bad they send and no way to report it without making sure what you saw was evidence of a crime.

 

[SpotOnT]

What is the point of a view once message?

Other than direct threats, hate speech, sexually explicit content, etc. I can’t think of any reason to send a view once message….and why does anyone want to support those?

 

[Havalo]

View once, store (in Meta's Server farm) forever.

 

[Ctrlos]

It would be nice if they stripped out everything that wasn’t a text message view.

 

[contacos]

What is the point of a view once message?

Other than direct threats, hate speech, sexually explicit content, etc. I can’t think of any reason to send a view once message….and why does anyone want to support those?

Passwords to my mother that are not in her hand written notebook or outdated 🫠

 

[yuvaldv1]

Passwords to my mother that are not in her hand written notebook or outdated 🫠

Do we have the same parents? lol

 

[alFR]

What is the point of a view once message?

Other than direct threats, hate speech, sexually explicit content, etc. I can’t think of any reason to send a view once message….and why does anyone want to support those?

Journalists, political activists etc. in countries with oppressive regimes wanting to share information (e.g. locations to meet, identity of sources) and leave no record of that information on each others' devices?

 

[herok]

Journalists, political activists etc. in countries with oppressive regimes wanting to share information (e.g. locations to meet, identity of sources) and leave no record of that information on each others' devices?

They would be smart enough not to use WhatsApp for such sensitive information

 

[winxmac]

Journalists, political activists etc. in countries with oppressive regimes wanting to share information (e.g. locations to meet, identity of sources) and leave no record of that information on each others' devices?

This reminds me of the change introduced in iOS 16.1.1 (China) and iOS 16.2 (rest of the world) where the Everyone option for AirDrop is now limited to 10 minutes and the original option without the time limit has never returned.

I know many here are against using anything under the Meta umbrella, but I think most of those living outside U.S.A. are using WhatsApp instead of iMessage. I myself don't have a WhatsApp account yet but it is now the only way to verify your Yahoo account access. I already have a Facebook, instagram, and Threads account. I don't want to create a WhatsApp account, I hate it but I have to.

 

[JorgeVR]

Take a black picture and write the text 🙄 + 1️⃣
Isn't that hard 😂

 

[svish]

While different options are good, I don't see the need for view once message. Someone might actually want to save a message or even if one accidentally opens it, it gets deleted.

 

[JosephAW]

Passwords to my mother that are not in her hand written notebook or outdated 🫠

Done this a few times helping an older friend with his passwords that he forgot. Once they have successfully signed in I delete the text message from his device and mine at the same time.
Telegram and iMessage have that feature and I suppose others as well.

Also this auto delete feature could be a major distraction for someone driving and knowing that the message will disappear has to take their eyes off the road before they lose the message. 😵

 

[nt5672]

Done this a few times helping an older friend with his passwords that he forgot. Once they have successfully signed in I delete the text message from his device and mine at the same time.
. . . .

I consider any password sent via social media compromised. Nothing in social media is ever deleted.

 

[jlc1978]

Has Meta never heard of a thing called a camera?

Can they block screen recording on a PC or will those messages not be readable on devices they can't block?

If someone is sending stuff the recipient may want to save for whatever reason, Meta can't stop it.

It may be harder than normal, but not some great elite hacker stuff of legend.

Karma would require Meta's glasses be used to record the WhatsApp texts...

 

[Truckondo]

Who is this for? Ethan Hunt? Personally, I like that I can go back to reference a message.

 

[mw360]

Journalists, political activists etc. in countries with oppressive regimes wanting to share information (e.g. locations to meet, identity of sources) and leave no record of that information on each others' devices?

Yeah, right, that's the movie playing in Zuck's head. The reality is just drug dealers and kids sexting each other.

 

[mnewby]

If you don't want something to been screenshot, don't send it. You could of course phone someone with the password? Imagine that.. talking ;p

 

[ifxf]

If you don't want something to been screenshot, don't send it. You could of course phone someone with the password? Imagine that.. talking ;p

Try that with a complicated password. Much easier to copy/paste.

 

[Gr8Lakes]

What is the point of a view once message?

Other than direct threats, hate speech, sexually explicit content, etc. I can’t think of any reason to send a view once message….and why does anyone want to support those?

I've never seen a point to a "view once" message. As I sit here reading this, I have 3 devices with cameras within reach. Pretty low bar to taking a screenshot that can't be blocked.

 

[Ursadorable]

View once, store (in Meta's Server farm) forever.

This. Never trust the Zuck period.

 

[UliBaer]

This. Never trust the Zuck period.

Meta will use this feature to flag the "very interesting" messages and therefore store them even longer on their servers - for evaluation and other reasons...

 

[Philip_S]

I myself don't have a WhatsApp account yet but it is now the only way to verify your Yahoo account access. I already have a Facebook, instagram, and Threads account. I don't want to create a WhatsApp account, I hate it but I have to.

Really an information commissioner with some balls should prosecute companies for requiring members of the public to provide PII to third parties unnecessarily to use their own services, access support, or get equally preferential pricing etc. There's no practical difference between the company (e.g. Yahoo) requiring you to provide all the data Meta collects from WhatsApp users and handing it over the them versus making Yahoo users give it to meta directly, but while the former is prohibited the latter seems to be tolerated.

 

[jooish]

What is the point of a view once message?

Other than direct threats, hate speech, sexually explicit content, etc. I can’t think of any reason to send a view once message….and why does anyone want to support those?

Privacy and security.

Why those other things came to mind first for you and the fact that people are agreeing with you is concerning.

You do realize that screenshots, screen recording, and simply taking a photo of the device with the message are all options to keep a message long term, right...?

This type of feature would be very useful for iMessage, too.

 

[Student of Life]

This feels like something catering to illegal transactions under the pretext of privacy. Meta still keeps a record so journalists would be unwise to use this but for the avg dealer this would be a great win up until the cops bust them.