WhatsApp is currently testing an innovative privacy feature called Restricted Chat, designed to enhance user control over conversations. This feature allows users to limit access to specific chats, ensuring they can only be viewed on their primary device, while making them unavailable on any linked devices.
Understanding the Restricted Chat Feature
The introduction of Restricted Chat means that conversations enabled with this feature cannot be accessed via WhatsApp Web, desktop applications, or any secondary devices linked to the WhatsApp account. This additional layer of privacy is particularly beneficial for users who want to keep sensitive conversations confined to their main smartphone.
How It Works
Currently available to select beta users on both Android and iOS, Restricted Chat builds upon the existing Advanced Chat Privacy feature but offers enhanced protection against unauthorized access. When this feature is activated, WhatsApp enforces several restrictions:
- Media such as photos and videos from the chat will not be automatically saved to the device.
- Conversations cannot be exported.
- Meta AI features will be disabled within the chat.
The most significant aspect of Restricted Chat is its limitation on access from linked devices. Users attempting to view their WhatsApp on a computer or secondary device will not be able to enter conversations that have been restricted, thereby preventing potential misuse of unofficial clients or AI agents to access messages.
Comparison with Chat Lock
It is important to note that Restricted Chat differs from the existing Chat Lock feature. While Chat Lock is designed to secure and separate sensitive conversations from the main chat list, requiring device authentication to access locked chats, Restricted Chat focuses more on restricting content access and the ways messages can be utilized.
Activating Restricted Chat
This new feature is optional and must be manually activated by users through the conversation information page. Once enabled, WhatsApp will notify chat participants about the change in privacy settings, ensuring everyone is aware that the conversation's access has been limited.
Even with the Restricted Chat feature in place, WhatsApp maintains its commitment to end-to-end encryption, meaning that conversations remain secure regardless of whether this feature is activated. Thus, it provides an additional layer of restriction for chats deemed sensitive, rather than compromising the overall security of standard WhatsApp messages.
Currently, Restricted Chat is only available for individual conversations, with no announcement on when similar functionality might be extended to group chats. The feature is being rolled out gradually, and users of WhatsApp beta version 2.26.39.11 for Android and 26.39.10.20 for iOS may not receive it immediately.
As of now, WhatsApp has not disclosed when the Restricted Chat feature will be made available to all users, both on Android and iPhone.
Source: https://inet.detik.com/consumer/d-8694088/whatsapp-uji-fitur-baru-chat-bisa-dibatasi-hanya-di-hp-utama
