WhatsApp is working on an update that allows WhatsApp group admins to delete messages for everyone, whether the original sender likes it or not. The feature is currently in the beta stage, allowing a select few admins access to such power.
WhatsApp, Dog?
WABetaInfo was the first to spot the news, letting us know that the feature had reached the beta phase. Usually, this means the feature is past the point where it could be discarded out of hand. Even so, don’t put it past Meta to stop developing a feature halfway through.
Deleting messages in a group could go one of two ways. One, it will work exactly as intended – with admins deleting hurtful or abusive messages off a public group. Or, two, group admins will become drunk with power, and learn what it feels like to be a Reddit moderator. Which is bad. Very bad. But that probably won’t happen.
Read More: WhatsApp is introducing *checks notes* ‘Kept Messages’
Deleting a message as a group admin will function almost identically to how users delete their own messages. Hold down on a message, click delete and confirm that you want it deleted for everyone. The only difference here will be that the rest of the group could see which admin deleted whose messages.
Most group admins won’t care about deleting messages. The majority of groups are personal, filled with people that [hopefully] like each other. It becomes an issue when a group is open to the public, allowing randoms to show up and wreak havoc. Well, no longer.
There’s no word yet when we could expect the feature, though it can’t be far away. There’s a chance it could release over August, but don’t get your hopes up. September onwards is a more likely estimation.
Source: WABetaInfo