For those who use WhatsApp, we’re sure that you have at some point in time been on the receiving end of spam group invites, where suddenly you’re added to a WhatsApp group with people you’re unfamiliar with. This can be annoying, but the good news is that it looks like WhatsApp is finally doing something about it.
The company has recently announced that they will be rolling out a new privacy feature that will allow users to better manage who can add them to groups. What this means is that users will be able to choose if anyone can add them to groups, their contacts, or nobody which means that you can’t be added to groups at all.
The second option does seem to be the most flexible as it means that only people you have saved in your contacts can add you to groups, so in the event that someone has your number but you don’t have theirs, they still can’t add you to groups. WhatsApp had been previously accused for nothing doing enough to stop spam and also the spread of fake news.
The company has since been introducing new features that will not only help users fight spam, but also identify fake news. By preventing users from being added to groups without their consent, it should also help to curb the spread of fake news.