How it works
A user can make individual or group voice and video calls and send messages (including photos, videos, voice messages, documents and their location). They can hide chats or send disappearing messages and status updates vanish after 24 hours.
Users can chat with Meta AI (a chatbot) and use AI functions such as removing objects from photos. Personal WhatsApp messages, voice/video calls and status updates (not including chats with Meta AI) are end-to-end encrypted so the contents can only be seen by the sender and the receiver. 18+ conversations with MetaAI are analysed to improve MetaAI.
They can connect multiple group chats on specific topics into Communities and follow updates from people and organisations on Channels.
Parental controls or safety settings available
WhatsApp is rolling out parent managed accounts for under 13s. Where available, this enables parents to manage a child’s contacts, privacy settings and be notified of activity such as when their child blocks a contact. The parent and child must each have WhatsApp installed on their own device, and the parent manages settings using a parent PIN.
If a WhatsApp user has a person’s mobile phone number, they can tell if that person is also a WhatsApp user and send them a WhatsApp message. Privacy and safety settings include:
• Blocking and reporting other people
• Blocking messages from unknown accounts when they exceed a high volume
• Silencing unknown callers
• Hiding personal information such as profile photo, about information, status updates, when they were last online or if they’ve read a message
• Controlling who can add a person to a group chat
• Group admins can prevent group members renaming the group, approving new members or saving media to their device automatically
* A parent-managed account allows under-13s to use WhatApp with parental supervision.
