WhatsApp prepars to introduce a ‘View Once’ feature for text messages, allowing messages to disappear automatically after being read a single time. The new functionality is currently being tested in beta versions of both iOS and Android.
WhatsApp Tests ‘View Once’ Text Messages
Popular messaging platform WhatsApp is preparing to introduce a ‘View Once’ feature for text messages, allowing messages to disappear automatically after being read a single time. The new functionality is currently being tested in beta versions of both iOS and Android.
According to WABetaInfo, a website that tracks upcoming WhatsApp features, the latest beta release includes a new “Send as View Once” option when composing a text message. Messages sent using this feature can only be opened and read once by the recipient. Once the recipient exits the chat window after reading the message, it will be permanently deleted.
To strengthen privacy and security, WhatsApp is expected to disable options such as copying, forwarding, and sharing for these messages. The platform is also reportedly implementing technical restrictions to prevent recipients from taking screenshots or screen recordings of the content.
Several messaging platforms, including Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, and Telegram, have offered similar functionality for some time. Until now, WhatsApp users often resorted to sending screenshots of text messages as ‘View Once’ images to achieve a similar effect.
The upcoming feature is expected to eliminate that workaround by allowing disappearing text messages directly within chats.
The feature is currently available only in testing through Apple’s TestFlight program and selected beta releases. Industry observers expect WhatsApp to roll it out globally to all users in the near future.
DBTech/BMT/OR
