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A TREAT FOR CHEATS?
WhatsApp update will let you send secret, self-destructing messages in privacy revamp
- Harry Pettit, Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter
- 2 Oct 2019, 11:00
- Updated: 2 Oct 2019, 11:00
The app is testing a new type of message that self-destructs to stop prying eyes from snooping on your chats.
WhatsApp has built a feature that seedy cheating lovers are sure to enjoyCredit: Getty - Contributor
First cooked up by Snapchat and later "nicked" by Instagram, the auto-deleting post allows users to set a time limit for how long their messages show.
It helps keep chats truly private, as your conversations are hidden even if someone knows the passcode to your phone.
WhatsApp is now trialling its own version on Android, according to reliable leakers at WAbetaInfo.
The site trawls the code of early versions of WhatsApp to find upcoming features ahead of time.
The app is testing a new type of message that self-destructs to stop prying eyes from snooping on your chatsCredit: Alamy
While it's not currently available to everyone, WhatsApp is testing the feature on a small group of users. It will likely roll it out to everyone at a later date.
The new tool is called "Disappearing messages", according to WABetaInfo.
You’ll be able to choose whether posts vanish in five seconds or a minute.
"As the name suggests, any message eligible to be “disappeared”, will be
automatically deleted from the chat," WABetaInfo said.
The feature will work in both group chats and one-on-one conversations.
You'll reportedly be able to switch it on or off or change the time limit before a deletion in your settings.
As with any leak or rumour, we can't say for sure when – if ever – the tool will be released to everyone.
WhatsApp may still decide to bin it last minute, so don't hold your breath until we hear something concrete from the firm.
