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An overview of new, upcoming WhatsApp updates, features

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Meta-owned WhatsApp keeps improving user experience by introducing new updates and features to the application for all its versions — android, iOS, and desktop.

If you missed out on the latest updates and features being introduced to the instant messaging app, this is the time to catch up.

Some of the features are still under development and not yet available to all testers or they may gradually roll out to users in the coming weeks while some are available to the beta testers.

If you are unable to use a certain feature, you need to for a future update of the app to access it.

Here is a wrap-up of the updates and new features.

Edit message

WhatsApp is introducing the ability to edit messages within 15 minutes after a user sends a message. This will allow users to fix any mistakes or add more information to the original message. 

This feature is under development but is available for beta users via iOS 23.4.0.72 update. 

“The company keeps working on the ability to edit messages by adding an ‘unsupported message’ when it is not compatible with your version of WhatsApp,” said WaBetaInfo. 

Search bar

Users can now easily filter the messaging app as a search bar is being released for the beta testers. iOS users can access it through the 23.4.0.73 update. 

Newsletter 

The messaging app is working on a private newsletter tool. It will be a “one-to-many tool for broadcasting information and they look like a new way to easily receive useful updates from people and groups like local officials, sports teams, or other organisations.” 

This will allow users to be able to choose “who they want to hear from and follow broadcasters of their choice right within WhatsApp.”

Disappearing messages

WhatsApp is allowing users to keep their messages from disappearing as they can save those messages after they expire. 

Profile icons

The instant messaging app is working on a feature regarding the profile icons within group chats. This feature is still under development and will be available in a future update. 

High-quality photos

This is one of the most anticipated features of WhatsApp that would allow users to send photos in their original quality.

Users will have the option to either send the compressed photo if they wish to save storage, however, they can also send in the original quality. 

Report status 

The messaging app has brought another update for its users if they are bothered by something inappropriate or something that goes against WhatsApp’s terms on a status update.

It will allow users to report any status update through this. Once you report a status update, this will be sent to the moderation team.

Schedule group calls 

WhatsApp is also working on the ability to schedule calls, which will allow the group members to plan their schedules accordingly.

This feature is still under development and will be released in the future update of the Android app. 

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Zindagi Trust gets featured on Meta website for transforming Pakistan’s education system

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KARACHI: In Pakistan, where a staggering number of over 28 million children are out of school and education infrastructure widely suffers, Zindagi Trust which is a non-profit organisation, is dedicated to revolutionising the education system.

Founded in 2003 by famous Pakistani singer Shehzad Roy, the trust works on the mission to provide quality education to underprivileged children and reform government schools in Pakistan, through pilot projects at model schools and advocacy with the government.

For its success in reaching and engaging supporters as an early adopter of WhatsApp Channels, Zindagi Trust has been featured on Meta’s website as a case study for government and charities.

The Trust is notably the first non-profit organisation from Pakistan to receive this recognition.

Capitalising on the popularity of Meta-owned messaging app, WhatsApp, Zindagi Trust set out with the objective of reaching new audiences, raising awareness, and facilitating fundraising.

It launched a WhatsApp Channel, through which emphasis was placed on initiatives extending beyond model schools, impacting government schools nationwide.

Zindagi Trust saw a significant surge in followers, a 7% increase in donations, and increased reach across its social ecosystem.

Speaking to Geo.tv, Zindagi Trust’s Senior Marketing & Resource Development Manager Faiq Ahmed said that WhatsApp channels have significantly contributed to the realisation of Zindagi Trust’s objectives by establishing a direct and interactive platform for communication with education and child protection enthusiasts.

Talking about collaboration with the government sector, Faiq said that their advocacy initiatives with the government’s help have left an indelible mark on Pakistan, catalysing groundbreaking changes nationwide.

“Through collaboration and perseverance, we continue to shape a brighter future for the children of Pakistan, not only in the education sector but also in areas vital to the well-being of our society,” he added. 

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Facebook and Instagram full of predators for children, alleges lawsuit

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Meta’s social media platforms of Facebook and Instagram have become fertile grounds for child predators and paedophiles, revealed New Mexico’s Attorney General, Raul Torrez in a lawsuit.

Torrez’s office used fake accounts to conduct investigations and discovered that these fake accounts of minors were dispatched ‘solicitations’ and explicit content.

The lawsuit seeks court-ordered changes to protect minors, asserting that Meta has neglected voluntary actions to address these issues effectively.

In its response, Meta defended its initiatives in eradicating predators. However, New Mexico’s investigation disclosed a higher prevalence of exploitative material on Facebook and Instagram compared to adult content platforms.

Attorney General Torrez underscored the platforms’ unsafe nature for children, describing them as hotspots for predators to engage in illicit activities.

While US law shields platforms from content liability, the lawsuit argues that Meta’s algorithms actively promote sexually exploitative material, transforming the platforms into a marketplace for child predators.

The lawsuit accuses Meta of misleading users about platform safety, violating laws prohibiting deceptive practices, and creating an unsafe product.

Moreover, the lawsuit targets Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg personally, alleging contradictory actions in enhancing child safety while steering the company in the opposite direction.

In response, Meta reiterated its commitment to combating child exploitation, emphasizing its use of technology and collaborations with law enforcement to address these concerns.

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Meta finally launches end-to-end encryption on Messenger

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Meta announced Thursday that it is finally implementing end-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations and calls on Messenger, delivering on a long-standing commitment.

The company states that when end-to-end encryption is enabled, the only people who can view the contents of a message sent through Messenger are the sender and the recipient.

Messenger’s encrypted chat function was initially made available as an opt-in feature in 2016. However, following a protracted legal dispute, end-to-end encrypted messages and calls for two-person discussions will now be considered the norm.

“This has taken years to deliver because we’ve taken our time to get this right,” Loredana Crisan, vice president of Messenger, said in a statement shared with The Verge.

“Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up.”

A representational picture of Messengers new feature. — Meta
A representational picture of Messenger’s new feature. — Meta

Crisan states that encrypted chats will not compromise Messenger features like themes and custom reactions. However, it may “take some time” for all chats to switch to default encryption.

The end-to-end encryption for group chats is still opt-in. Additionally, Instagram messages are still not encrypted by default, but Meta expects this to happen “shortly after” the rollout of default private Messenger chats.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019 that the company planned to move toward encrypted ephemeral messages across its messaging apps, according to The Verge.

“I believe the future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content won’t stick around forever,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “This is the future I hope we will help bring about.”

By enabling encryption by default, most Messenger chats should remain unseen by Meta, and it will also prevent the company from providing the data to law enforcement.

Last year, a 17-year-old from Nebraska and her mother faced criminal charges for illegal abortion after police obtained their Messenger chat history.

Anti-encryption advocates argue that encryption makes it harder to identify bad actors on encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp.

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