WhatsApp allows its users to have a private conversation, just like one would in-person. It will always defend the right to privacy for its users, starting with default end-to-end encryption. But the organization knows that a few of the users – like journalists or public-facing figures – may need extreme safeguards against rare and highly-sophisticated cyber-attacks.
That’s why a new, lockdown-style feature called Strict Account Settings has been introduced.
If this feature is on, certain account settings will lock to the most restrictive settings, and it will limit how WhatsApp works in some ways, like blocking attachments and media from people not in the contacts. The users can enable Strict Account Settings by going to Settings > Privacy > Advanced.
Strict Account Settings is one of many ways to protect the users from the most sophisticated of cyber threats. There is also a programming language called Rust behind the scenes to help keep photos, videos, and messages safe from things like spyware, so the users can share and chat with confidence.
