WhatsApp, currently dodging lawsuits claiming that the app isn’t quite as safe as Meta says it is, just announced a new “lockdown-style feature” called ‘Strict Account Settings’ that’ll ramp things up to the next level, security-wise. WhatsApp reckons that the standard end-to-end encryption — the one under scrutiny — is enough for most folks, but notes that some users like ‘public-facing figures’ and journalists may require “extreme safeguards”.
WhatsApp is getting serious about protection
Toggle the Strict Account Settings on, and the messenger will automatically enter defence mode, guarding against what the messenger calls “highly-sophisticated cyber attacks.” It’ll alter a bunch of the user’s settings to do so, like disabling link previews — the thumbnail that generates when receiving a YouTube video or something similar.
It’ll also automatically silence calls from unknown callers, as though public-facing figures needed the reminder not to pick up a call from a random stranger. This way, at least, the celebrity in question won’t feel all that bothered about blocking several hundred or more spam calls per day.
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Finally, the setting will block any media or other attachments sent by an unknown party. WhatsApp’s Strict Account Settings feature is accompanied by a new programming language called Rust, which helps “help keep your photos, videos, and messages safe from things like spyware, so you can share and chat with confidence.”
The new setting is officially launching today, and can be accessed by visiting Settings > Privacy > Advanced. Meta notes that the rollout will be a gradual one, meaning you may have to wait a couple of weeks before it arrives for everyone. The feature hasn’t arrived on our device, sporting version 2.26.2.72, for instance.
