WhatsApp introduces new safety features for users in India

New Delhi: In a bid to make WhatsApp safer for Indian users, Meta owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced two new safety features which include flash calls and message-level reporting.

The flash calls and message level reporting features will allow people better security and control over their usage of the messaging app.

With flash calls, new Android users or the ones who change their devices frequently, one can choose to verify their phone numbers via an automated call instead of an SMS.

According to WhatsApp, this is a much safer option, given that it takes place all from within the app.

The message level reporting feature allows users to report a particular message received on WhatsApp. This can be done by simply long pressing a particular message to either report or block a user.

WhatsApp has also rolled out the ability to let users hide their profile picture, last seen, and more from certain people, the ability to block someone who might prove bothersome, and two-step verification (2FA).

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has released the 2.21.24.8 update for its Android users on the beta channel, which reveals the company is working on message reaction notifications for its Android app.

WhatsApp has been developing the message reactions feature for a few months now, which, as evident from its name, lets users react to messages the same way they react to the posts and comments on the Facebook app.

Previously, WhatsApp had no plans to notify users of message reactions, but the company later began developing it for the beta version of its iOS app and now it is also working on providing the same feature to its Android users.