Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Meta, recently announced a new feature for WhatsApp called ‘Chat Lock.’ This feature aims to enhance the privacy of users’ intimate conversations.
According to Meta, the Chat Lock feature allows users to protect their most intimate conversations by applying a password and storing them in a separate folder. When a chat is locked, the sender’s name and message content are hidden from view. When a WhatsApp chat is locked, it is moved out of the user’s regular inbox and placed in its dedicated folder. Additionally, the contents of the locked chat are automatically hidden in notifications, providing an added layer of privacy.
Users can lock a chat by selecting the name of a one-to-one or group chat and choosing the lock option. This feature will be available to users through a new app update on both Android and iOS devices. To access a locked chat, users can use their device password or opt for biometric authentication, such as fingerprint recognition. This allows for secure access and ensures that only authorized individuals can view the locked conversations. This feature proves particularly useful for users who occasionally share their phones with family members.
Meta plans to introduce additional options for Chat Lock in the coming months. These updates may include locks for companion devices and the ability to set custom passwords for individual chats, allowing users to utilize a password different from their device’s password to unlock specific conversations.
The introduction of the Chat Lock feature underscores Meta’s commitment to enhancing user privacy on WhatsApp. By providing users with more control over their private conversations, Meta aims to address concerns regarding data security and maintain WhatsApp as a preferred messaging platform.
